A Love Untold
by RebelRebel1970
Summary: Janet and Eddie. Meant to be?
1. Chapter 1

It was fall again in the Ridge. The leaves were turning orange and red and falling off the trees, hinting at the winter to come. Janet was headed to Hannah's to help with the last minute wedding details and decided to take a long walk through the park with her dog. As she clipped the leash on Saffron, her three year old yellow lab, she realized how glad she was that after fostering Saffron from Hannah's vet, she decided to adopt her. The dog was the best thing to come into her life since she lost Eddie, and she kept Janet company during the long nights after her hard break up.

As they hit the park in the middle of town, Janet zipped her sweatshirt realizing how cold it actually was and wondered if she had enough time to stop by Murph's for a cup of coffee before Hannah's. 

Janet was bent over, picking up after Saffron, when she lost hold of the leash. She quickly tried to grab the dog, but was no match, as Saffron had set off running..right towards Eddie Latekka.

"Shit", Janet said "great..."

She hadn't seen Eddie in over a month. Her mind flashed back to the last time she had. She was working the late shift at an incredibly packed Sully's. It had been easy to keep her distance since Karen offered to wait on him and Nick. She felt Eddie's eyes on her on several occassions, and all her regret and humiliation surfaced again.

After her shift, she was headed to her car when a very drunk Eddie came up behind her. Janet saw him leave the bar with Nick and was confused as to why he was still lurking in the parking lot.

"What goes on Janet?" Eddie slurred.

"Hello Eddie" she replied, nervously "I haven't seen you around here lately"

"Yeah, well...I haven't really felt much like coming here..." he spat out.

Janet didn't want a fight, but she wasn't ready for him to leave either. 

"I get it Eddie, I'll be going"

"I do miss you, you know that?" he said

Janet felt her eyes well up with tears as she nodded. "I miss you too Eddie, a lot."

He leaned in and kissed her tentatively at first, which worked into a long and passionate kiss like the ones they shared when they first started dating. Janet, confused, let Eddie take her hand and lead her to the back of his truck. Before she knew it,clothes were pushed aside and Eddie was all over her. He was forceful and too loud, which scared Janet at first, but fear led to pleasure and she never wanted him to stop. When he did, he sat up, looking at her, suddenly sobered.

"You should go Janet, this was a mistake."

Janet rearranged her clothing and climbed out of the truck bed. She wasn't even in her car when she heard his truck squeal off as she burst into familiar tears.

Now, a month later, there he was; tall, looking sexy and wearing that flannel shirt that brought out his eyes. And her dog was running right to him. What was it about girls loving them some Latekka?

"Whoa now, " Eddie said grabbing Saffron and crouching down to pet her. "And where are you headed?"

Janet caught up to the dog and Eddie.

"Janet..." Eddie said, standing up.

"Eddie" she replied, taking the dog's leash from him. The air was even colder she thought.

"You got a dog?" he asked

"Yeah, I adopted her from Hannah's vet. This is Saffron, but I see you've already met."

"I didn't know"

"How would you?" She replied, almost bitterly.

Eddie looked at her, squinting his eyes. "Look Janet, about the other night..."

"I know Eddie, you were drunk, I was stupid, let's just forget about it."

"I..." he let his thought trail off, but Janet didn't feel like discussing his self-reproach any longer.

"It's cool dude, it's forgotten" 

And with that, she tugged on Saffron's leash, and she walked away from Eddie, without looking back. 


	2. Chapter 2

Janet was barely through Hanna's door when she started crying. Hannah sat her down and listened patiently as she recounted her run in with Eddie.

"Janet, " Hannah says carefully, "Do you think maybe Eddie wanted to say something good? Maybe he wanted to apologize for being an ass that night at Sully's?"

"He has every right to act like an ass Hannah. I did the worst thing anyone could do to someone they care about. And I did it all because I was stupid and insecure, and I jumped to conclusions. I deserve to hear anything he has to say to me, however crappy that may be."

"Janet, NO ONE deserves that. You made a mistake, one you owned up to. You know what? Eddie hasn't always been a good guy. As a matter of fact..."

Just as Hannah decides to tell Janet about what happened between her and Eddie years ago, Big Cat walks in the front door.

"Hello ladies. Janet, why so sad?"

"It's nothing Ray, just girl stuff." Hannah's voice warns Ray to drop the inquisiton. Eddie Latekka isn't a conversation that Hannah wants to start with Ray, but she's actually grateful he interrupted telling Janet something she didn't particularly want to.

Janet dries her eyes and starts to work on the wedding favors. As she stands, sadness washes over her. The room feels hot and starts to sway.

"Janet, you OK?" Big Cat asks.

Janet shakes her head and heads to the bathroom where she throws up. She washes her hands and face and returns to the dining room, embarassed.

"Well, I guess that's what seeing Eddie does to me." she laughs, uneasily.

"Funny, I feel the same way." Ray says.

Janet and Hannah look at him.

"What? Come on, it was a joke ladies."

But Janet's not so sure. She has thought a lot about Eddie getting beaten up that night, and she's not convinced that Ray didn't have something to do with Matt Lauch's actions that night. She can't prove it though, and Hannah confided that she had cornered Ikey at the engagement party, and that Ikey assured her that Ray knew nothing about Matt's actions. She still couldn't believe that Matt would act so violently over one punch Eddie threw months before.

After tying the last ribbon on the wedding favors, Janet tells Hannah she needs to get home and get ready for work. Refusing Ray's offer of a ride home, Janet makes the short walk home with her dog, steering clear of the park.

Once home, Janet makes herself sick again thinking about Eddie. Maybe she should have listened to what he had to say. She can't imagine working all night at Sully's, so she calls in sick and falls asleep on her couch.

The next morning, Hannah wakes her.

"Janet, wake up. I brought breakfast" She sets the bag of bagels on the table and waves a to go cup at Janet. "Come on...there's even coffee."

Janet slowly makes her way to the table, opening the front door for the dog.

Sitting across from Hannah, she looks at the bagel in front of her and cannot imagine chewing and swallowing. Prying the lid off her cup of coffee, she realizes even that is making her stomach turn.

"Sorry about yesterday, Hannah. I was stupid to let Eddie get to me like that. But no more." she finishes her sentence by blowing on her coffee.

"Janet," Hannah says, between bites of bagel. " I was thinking..."

"What's that?"

" When was the last time you saw Eddie?"

"Yesterday, you know that."

"No, before that."

"Hannah," Janet says, a little annoyed, "At Sully's, remember?"

She looks at Hannah.

"OH God," she says, clapping her hand to her mouth. "Oh God, oh God, oh God..."

Hannah smiles. Grabbing her car keys, "I'll be back."

Janet waited, dumbfounded, for what seemed like an hour. She paced, she did the dishes, she fed the dog...until Hannah returned with a brown bag.

"Three tests?" Janet asked.

"Just to be sure."

A half an hour and three pregnancy tests later, Janet sinks onto the couch. "Oh GOD" she moans.

"Janet, say something else. Didn't you think this could happen? Didn't you use protection?"

"Hannah, we most definitely were not thinking. Eddie was SO drunk and trust me it all happend so quickly. I couldn't stop it...and, you know, I didn't want to. Oh God, what am I going to do?"

"You have to go and see a doctor first, and make 100 percent sure that you are pregnant. Then you can worry about what to do."

But a week later, the doctor confirmed what Janet already knew. She was having Eddie Latekka's baby. 


	3. Chapter 3

Winter had settled in Knights Ridge. It had been snowing all day, and Janet was unpacking Christmas decorations, thinking about how things had changed so much in one year. Last year, she was giving Eddie a wolf and this year she was hanging up a single stocking on her mantel. She looked at her wrist, and realized how much she missed wearing the charm bracelet that Eddie gave her. A week after they broke up, she had finally taken it off and put it deep inside her jewelry box, hidden but never forgotten. A knock came at her door. She was surprised when she opened it and saw Eddie on her doorstep.

"Eddie," she says, not hiding her surprise. Or her pleasure.

"Can I come in?" She opens the door wider, and moves to let him in.

Eddie walks around the room, warming up, smelling the vanilla candles that Janet liked to light. Janet's house always made him feel good, like he was home. He stops at a picture of Janet and Hannah from Hannah's wedding. Picking the frame up, Eddie studies the picture.

"You looked really pretty at the wedding." he says. Janet's hair was loose and curly around her face, and he remembered how good she looked in her dress.

"Eddie, what's up?" Janet asks. "I'm pretty sure you didn't come here to gossip about Hannah's wedding."

"Were you going to tell me?" Anger was in his eyes.

She looks at him, knowing exactly what he's asking her.

"This is a small town Janet, enough people see you coming out of the doctor's office, and they start to talk."

"I wasn't sure..."

"What? That I'd want to know? Seriously?"

"Eddie, I wasn't sure..."

"Wait, it's mine right?"

"Nice Eddie," Janet visably winces. "Yes, it's yours. I wasn't sure how, or if, I was going to tell you."

Eddie sits on her couch, tossing his keys on the coffee table.

"Look, Janet" he says, wearily. "Let's not fight please. Let's talk about this."

"Ok sure."

"How are you feeling?" he starts.

"I'm fine." Janet's actually touched that he asked.

"And the ba..."

"Also fine. Look Eddie, I know you hate me and I know that you being a good guy won't allow you to not do the right thing here, but we don't have to decide anything right now."

"Janet, you think I hate you?" Eddie says with a whisper. Looking at her, Janet can see the hurt in his eyes. The same hurt that she saw all those months ago in the hospital.

"Yeah, why wouldn't you? I hate me." she confesses.

"Wow, Janet. I don't hate you. I hate what you did, yeah, but I could never hate you. In fact, before all this shit happened, I was falling in love with you. That's why I can't get over this."

"Oh...Eddie...you don't have to..."

"No, let me finish. I was so happy when we started dating and when things got really good. I know that I should have come clean about Rory right away, but God Janet...Rooster? That hurt me so bad and I had to get over that. So last month at Sully's I thought I was. I kept watching you as you worked and it reminded me how much I missed you. But after we had sex, I was still so mad. I had to leave, because I didn't know what else to do and I wanted you to be as mad and hurt as I was."

Janet had no words, she just listened.

"The other day I was at work, cleaning some stuff off my desk, when I found an old lunch bag. Remember making me lunch that day?" Janet nods. "I was just going to toss it out, but I remembered that you said there was a surprise inside...and under a bag of really stale peanut butter cookies, I found your note."

The note. Janet always wondered if Eddie had read her note. She had written it, sitting in her kitchen while she was baking those cookies for him, before he came over for the night, before they had spent their last good night together. Eddie pulls the note from his pocket, and unfolds it, resting it on his leg.

"This note has to be the nicest thing that anyone has written, or said, about me ever. I don't think that anyone that had ever felt this way about me, told me. It's love, it's friendship, and no matter what happens with me and you, I will always love that you sat down and wrote it for me." He pauses and looks at her. "Remember when you told me that you knew that I had the potential to be more than 'Eddie Latekka of Hail Eddie' fame?" Janet nods. "Well this note reminded me of that."

Janet was no longer embarassed that Eddie still had her note. She figured it would have been tossed along with all other things that reminded him of her.

"Eddie, I still believe and mean everything that I said in that note." There, she said it. She still loved him and and didn't care that he knew it. "Crap...Eddie, excuse me..." Janet makes a beeline for the bathroom, kicking the door shut behind her. Eddie hears her throwing up, and goes to the door.

"Janet," he says, knocking softly on the bathroom door.

"Eddie, don't come in here... she begs, as she retches again. But Eddie is already crouched down next to her, his hand on her back.

"Have you been sick like this the whole time?" He asks, wondering at the same time to himself why he still cares.

"Pretty much. Morning sickness, my ass...I'm sick all the time." Janet flushes the toilet.

"Is that normal?" he asks.

"The doctor said I'm ok now, but that's why I was going to see her so much the first month. She was worried that I was so stressed out all the time."

"Stressed?" Eddie questions.

He wants to go there, now? Janet thinks. "Eddie, come on, my heart was broken, is broken. I wasn't sure if I could have this baby."

"Whoa...what?"

"I didn't want you to think I was trying to trap you."

"Janet, here, get up. We don't need to have this conversation on the bathroom floor."

Eddie helps her up, and takes her into her bedroom. He notices that all of the bedding is changed, but he doesn't ask. As she settles down on her pillows, he goes to get her a glass of water. She wonders if he noticed that she got rid of all the sheets and blankets after her indescretion with Rooster. She's pretty sure he doesn't care.

When Eddie returns with her water, Janet is fast asleep. He sets the glass on her nightstand and turns off her light. He lets himself out quietly, using his key to lock the dead bolt.

When Janet wakes up in the morning, she finds the water. Going out to the living room, she finds a note.

Janet-

Feel better. You're not trapping me.

Eddie 


	4. Chapter 4

In her six month of pregnancy, Janet enrolls in a Lamaze class at the local community center. Not wanting to go alone, she asks Hannah to be her partner.

"Janet," Hannah says, setting a cup of tea in front of her. "Are you sure you don't want to call Eddie about this?"

"He hasn't come around since that night, so I think he's made it clear he's pretty much done with me."

"No, you're wrong, Eddie wouldn't do that. Even if he isn't with you, he will be there for his kid. I know that."

In the kitchen, Big Cat rolls his eyes and continues to eavesdrop. 

"Well he sure has a funny way of showing it." Janet sighs. 

"You haven't exactly called him now have you?" Hannah argues. 

"What's the point? Even if he forgives me, he's never going to forget what I did to him and that's going to creep up on me one day when I least expect it. No, Hannah, this is better left undone."

"What about when the baby's here?"

"What about it?"

"Are you going to let Eddie see his kid?"

"Of course, I have to let him be a dad."

That last sentence hangs in the air, full of implication. 

Later that day, Hannah walks into Best Friend Windows. 

"Nick's not here Hannah" Eddie starts.

"I'm here to see you."

"Oh yeah? And why's that?" Eddie stands, and crosses his arms.

"Janet signed up for Lamaze classes."

"Great, I'll make a note."

"Eddie, she asked me to be her partner."

A flash of hurt crosses Eddie's face, then disappears. He knows that he hasn't called or seen Janet since the night he went to her place to talk, but she hasn't called him either. He thought that the note he left, the note that took him fifteen damn minutes to write, would let her know that he was taking responsibility, but she never called once to talk about their situation. He gave it a week before he wrote it off. 

"Ok, Hannah, so you are her partner. What are you doing here?"

"Because Eddie, I don't want to be her partner."

"That's very nice of you Hannah...have you told her that?"

"I want YOU to be her partner. Remember when you told me that I was a good mom, that I was fierce?" Eddie nods. "Well I had to be. It's hard to raise a kid alone Eddie. All the friends and family in the world can't take the place of a father, or a partner. I don't want Janet to have to go through what I did."

"I think Janet's a big girl, and she knows who she wants to help her."

"Fine, Eddie. Do what you want. The class is tonight at 7, at the community center. Go, don't go. It's up to you."

Eddie sits on the edge of his desk and watches Hannah leave. 

Lamaze class was packed. These Ridge people sure know how to have them some babies, Janet thought. She was worried that Hannah was so late and hoped that she would hurry. Two minutes before the class started, Janet picked out her mat and sat down. She nervously watched the door.

Just as the teacher was prepared to start, Eddie walks in the door. Spotting Janet, he makes his way to her. Janet swore all eyes were on her and that a distinct rumbling went through the class. "Knights Ridge," she mumbles, shaking her head. 

Eddie sinks to his knees behind her, taking off his jacket. He leans in to whisper in her ear, causing a delicious shiver to creep up her spine. 

"Hannah came by, she can't make it, suggested maybe I could fill in." He smelled of mint and shampoo, of Eddie. She breathes in deep.

Janetmakes a mental note to have a few choice words with Hannah later that night. 

"Ok...let's get started. I thought we could go around the room and tell each other a little about why we are here." 

Janet felt queasy. What was she going to say? Thankfully, or maybe not, the first couple that started were way on the other side of the room. By the time it was her, their, turn, Janet is worked up into a small frenzy. Her face is flushed, her hands shaking, her palms sweaty. Then she hears Eddie's voice.

"Hey, I'm Eddie. This is Janet, and we're having a baby."

Janet feels herself finally relax as the teacher continues. Turns out Eddie is a cautious but perfect partner and when she scoots back between his legs to practice breathing, he reaches his arms around her growing belly.

"Move back some" he murmurs. "Lean back." She inches back more as he places his hands on her stomach. "This ok?" he asked. She nodded, her mouth paralyzed. She feels his crotch pressing up against her back, causing her to become aroused. And if she's not mistaken, she can tell he feels the same way. 

Janet will never be able to remember the last 20 minutes of class, she was so lost in Eddie's arms, strong and warm. She wishes they could stay in that position forever with his hands rubbing her belly, his unshaven cheek so close to her cheek. 

After class, Eddie helps Janet up. 

"I know this is going to sound crazy, but I swear I felt her moving in there."

"Her?" Janet says with a raised eyebrow.

"Him?" Eddie asks.

"I'm not telling." she teases.

"Aw, Janet, you know?"

"Yup, and it's my secret. No one, not even Hannah knows."

They both put on their jackets as Eddie says, "Hey, Janet, can I buy you dinner?"

Janet looks at him. "Really Eddie?"

"There's that damn look again. I haven't seen that look since I invited you to the Rowans' barbeque. Yes, really. Come on, I know you'd go out with Hannah."

"Ok, sure Eddie"

Janet and Eddie walk down the street in silence until they reach the diner on the corner. Their diner, the diner at which they used to have Sunday morning breakfast, or brunch depending on the mornings extra curricular bedroomactivites. 

Eddie holds open the door "After you."

"Don't think that bringing me to our diner is going to make me weak and cave about the sex of this baby, Latekka."

"Whatever...whatever..."

After dinner, Eddie walks Janet back to her Jeep. 

"So, uhm, I was wondering. Would you let me be your permanent Lamaze coach?"

"You really want to Eddie?"

"I do."

"I suppose that's ok." she says. 

"And just one more thing..."

"I am sonot telling you the sex." she laughs.

"No, well that too, but I want to be there when the baby's born. Would you let me?"

"Of course Eddie, " she says without hesitatiton. "I would never keep that from you."

Janet isn't sure what to make of Eddie's softness where she's concerned. Most encounters with him leave her confused. He could be sweet and caring, but anger always creeps in. 

"You know Eddie, I'm not real sure how to act here so I'm gonna let you lead."

"I'm not sure either, but how about we try being friends again."

"Friends?"

"Friends."

"Well, plus one." Janet says as Eddie laughs. 


	5. Chapter 5

Eddie calls Janet on practically a daily basis, usually on his lunch break, sitting at his desk, eating a sandwich. On the days she works the early shift, he heads down to Sully's. He likes that each week he can see a change in Janet's body, her stomach becoming rounder, and her breasts...well...he notices those too, damn it. He finds himself hoping she will lean over while grabbing for something under the bar, so he can get a good look down her top. All of her maternity tops seem to be low cut, and Eddie wonders if she picked them out specifically to drive him crazy.

Janet's cell rings, and she grabs it off the table before it goes to voice mail.

"Hi Eddie."

"Hey Janet, what goes on? How you feeling?"

"Good...tired...I have an appointment this afternoon, my last ultrasound."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's been awhile so I want to see what this kid looks like now that it's been baking awhile."

"Can I come with?"

Janet's taken aback, Eddie has never once asked to come to an appointment with her. He calls, makes sure she feels ok, and faithfully attends Lamaze classes, but this-this is new.

"Sure you can come Eddie, it's at two." She hopes her voice doesn't give away her excitement.

"Ok, I'll meet you there."

"The doctor's office is on..."

"I know where it is Janet."

"You do?"

"I'll see you there."

After she hangs up the phone, she stands in front of her closet, deciding what to wear. After trying on four different outfits, she realizes how crazy she's acting. She's going to meet Eddie for a doctor's appointment, not for a date. She finally chooses a blue top that accentuates her new, fuller breasts and her black pants.

As she pulls up to the doctors office, she sees Eddie waiting on the bench by the front door, drinking a coffee.

"Hey Eddie."

"Hey, you look nice." Janet laughs, but blushes as his eyes linger on her nipples.

"I look like a huge pregnant woman, but thanks."

After signing in at the front desk, the nurse escorts them to the exam room. Janet notices the nurse is super attentive and all smiles as she takes Janet's blood pressure and temperature. She swears she even winks at Eddie at one point. Janet realizes how jealous she is when Eddie smiles at the ditz.

"The doctor will be right in" she says, leaving. Janet controls her urge to blurt out the biting remark that's on the tip of her tongue about Eddie and the nurse, sadly realizing it's not her business who Eddie beds anymore.

"Should I wait outside while you change?" Eddie asked.

"Change?"

"Into that gown thingie?"

Janet giggles. "No gown, they just lift up my..." she pauses, realizing that Eddie is going to see her sort of naked for the first time in months.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Thankfully, the doctor comes into the room. She looks a little surprised that Eddie's in attendance, but busies herself reading Janet's chart. She has Janet lay back on the table as she dims the lights in the room. She lifts up Janet's shirt and turns on the machines.

"OK, let's listen to this baby."

The room fills with the sound of the baby's heart beat. Janet remembers how she felt the first time she heard the thumping and looking over at Eddie, she can tell he feels the same way.

Janet can barely breathe knowing Eddie's watching intently as the doctor presses on her belly and asks the normal questions. The doctor puts gel on Janet's stomach and starts the ultrasound.

"Ok, good...everything looks as it should..."

Janet is mesmerized by her baby on the screen.

The doctor looks over at Eddie who is staring at the screen, puzzled. She laughs and points out where the head is and how the baby is positioned. Suddenly, Eddie smiles. "I see now..."

"OK, do you want to know the sex..." she says to Eddie.

"NO!" Janet says. "It's a surprise."

"Good thing...this baby is being shy today. Shall I print two copies?" She asks Janet, aware of her circumstances. Janet nods.

Handing Janet the sonogram images, "I will see you in two weeks for your next check up. Call if you have any questions." She hands Janet some paper towels as she leaves the room.

"Janet, wait..." Eddie says as she starts to wipe her belly. "What the hell is this stuff?" he says, pointing.

"It conducts the ultrasound machine. Go ahead," she says, rolling her eyes. "I know you want to feel it."

Eddie feels it cautiously. "That's really sick, it's like slime. Here let me." He carefully wipes Janet's stomach.

"You want to feel the baby? It's kicking a bit."

Eddie nods. He wanted to ask before, but felt awkward. He couldn't feel much through her clothes at Lamaze. He places his hands on Janet's belly and feels around. Janet closes her eyes, her skin burning. She never forgets how his hands feel on her and she realizes how much she misses it.

"Whoa, now that's wierd."

"What, " she says, opening her eyes.

"It feels like it's rolling around in there."

Janet laughs, "That's exactly what's going on."

Eddie puts his hands back on her belly, his need to feel the baby kick winning out over wondering if he should give Janet false hopes of anything beyond tentative friendship.

Outside he asks Janet to have lunch.

"Can't...working..."

"How much longer are you going to keep working? It's got to be hard on your feet."

"I don't mind...Sully lets me sit and do side work when it's slow...and I really need to save the money."

"You need money?"

"Eddie, no...I'm just trying to save for when I'm not working. Sully doesn't exactly have a benefit package."

"OK, well...I'll call you."

"Bye Eddie."

In his truck, Eddie pulls out his copy of the sonogram and notices for the first time the printing up in the corner. Baby Latekka. 


	6. Chapter 6

Eddie walks into Best Friend Windows and finds Nick already sitting at his desk, eating. Nick waves at him as his mouth opens wide for another bite.

"Dude, what the Hell are you eating over there?" Eddie looks disgusted with Nick's culinary gusto.

"This is the best fucking apple pie I have ever had in my life..." Nick sighs, licking his fork.

"Yeah? Well, if it were a chick, she'd need a cigarette right about now."

Nick shoots Eddie a smirk. "You know Eddie, if my girlfriend cooked pie like this, I don't think I could ever quit her."

"What the Hell are you talking about Garrett?" Eddie opens a filing cabinent, half listening.

"I just mean that Janet makes a damn fine apple pie." Nick leans back in his chair and looks at a window invoice, patting his stomach. He's baiting Eddie and is having fun doing so.

Apple pie? Eddie thinks to himself...no way did Janet make apple pie for Nick. That's MY pie.

Janet always made an apple pie for Eddie when he was having a shitty day. And when she threw a scoop of her homemade ice cream on top, he never could remember who or what had pissed him off.

Nick had to turn his head a bit so Eddie wouldn't see the smile forming at the corners of his mouth. Nick knew the wheels in Eddie's head were spinning by the way Eddie was rifiling through that filing cabinent, not really looking for anything. He gave Eddie five more minutes tops before he started the Pie Inquisition 2008.

Eddie was lost in thought. The last time Janet had made that pie for him, he had missed dinner with her because of some computer issue at the shop. He'd called to apologize and ended up unloading on her about how Nick never seemed to be around when tech support was involved. He almost went to Sully's after the error was fixed,three hours later, but remembered there was a fresh six pack in Janet's fridge. He had let himself in with his key, gone right to the kitchen for a beer and then found her lying on her bed, with just a sexy robe on. She was propped up on her elbows and had a plate of that pie balanced on her left palm. He couldn't get undressed fast enough, and within 10 minutes, she was naked too and they were licking pie off each others bodies.

Eddie looks up as Nick turns to face him.

"Dude, since when did Janet start making you pie?"

"I went into Sully's about a week ago. Janet and I got to talking about pie for some reason and she mentioned that she makes the best apple pie. So...one thing led to another and she brought a pie by just this morning."

"Apple is my pie." Eddie says, irritation lacing his words.

"Not anymore.."

Eddie looks pissed, then he actually looks a little hurt. "Where are you going with this Nick?"

"Eddie, Janet has been making pies and bringing them over for the Commander. She said she had a lot of time on her hands lately since Sully won't let her work as much, and she just wanted to help out. She made a few pies before apple, and my dad loved the apple the best. That's all."

Eddie's shoulders relaxed. Why the Hell did he care who Janet was making apple pie for? Although, he was a little relieved it was for the Commander.

"Hey, Nicky, how is your dad doing?"

"He's good, thanks. You know...one day at a time..."

"Sorry about getting creased about the pie."

"You sure you aren't over Janet?"

"Nick...don't go there."

"What? You think dating Rory Dunlop again is going to change the fact that you still obviously care for Janet?"

"How did..." Eddie had just started hanging out with Rory, and was taking great pains to keep it under cover, although he wasn't sure why. Part of him wanted Janet to find out...to hurt her like she hurt him.

"She calls, she stops by, she's at your house... Doesn't take a genius to figure that one out." Phil, Eddie thinks, shaking his head.

"You think Janet knows?"

"Do you care?" Nick countered

"No. Should I?"

"That, my friend, is entirely up to you."

"Well, Janet made a choice when she decided to sleep with Rooster now didn't she?"

"Eddie, only you can decide if you are ever going to forgive her for that. But you are going to be tied to her forever now since you two are having a kid together, so you might want to consider it."

Eddie turns to his computer and thinks about Janet's pie for the rest of the day.

It was a week past Janet's due date, and she was going crazy. She had read in plenty of different books that first babies were notoriously late, but she was ready for this one to come out. She had already cleaned her house from corner to corner, packed her bag for the hospital, and worked out arrangements for Sam to dog sit for Saffron. She decided to sit down and pay all her bills while her time was still her own. Balancing her check book, she realized that money was going to be tight for a long while. In fact, she had put off finishing the nursery because of it. She figured the baby would be in the basinette next to her bed for awhile and she would worry about painting and hanging curtains in a few months. Still, she was a little sad when she went in the room. Hannah and Ray had brought over Sam's old crib, dresser and a rocking chair, and Ray had hauled Janet's desk and chair out to the garage. She realized she had plenty of clothes, diapers and formula-if the baby wouldn't breast feed-and she knew that she had prioritized properly. Still the walls of the nursery were so white and the windows so bare it sort of depressed her. She had briefly thought about asking Eddie for help painting, but wasn't sure if they were in a place in which she could ask for such a favor. And although, Eddie frequently asks Janet if she needs money, Janet always refuses his outright help. The hefty tips he started leaving in her in her jar at Sully's all went into a savings acoount for the baby.

Janet's phone rings. "Hi Hannah." Although she's glad to hear from Hannah, she wishes it were Eddie.

"Well?"

"Nothing, not a damn thing! I don't think this kid is ever coming out."

"Be patient, you remember, Sam was late too...so I know how you feel."

"I know, and you know what? I can't find that pregnancy book you lent me. I was right to the part about the labor and delivery."

"I think you're going to be able to figure out what to do," Hannah jokes. "Hey, have you seen Eddie?"

"Not since the last Lamaze class. He called once or twice and told me to call him when the baby's coming...why?"

"Well, I have something to tell you, and you're not going to like it."

Janet braces herself. She knows Hannah's going to tell her that Eddie is dating some new, beautiful, skinny girl from the Douf. She figured it was bound to happen sooner or later.

"I haven't seen it to confirm, but rumor around town is that Rory is back and hanging around with Eddie...a lot."

Janet feels her heart skip a beat and she let out a small moan.

"Janet, are you there?"

"Rory? Well, I guess that makes sense. He's not calling me as much, and he practically ran out of the last doctor's appoinment he came to. I figured a girl was involved."

"How do you feel?"

"Hannah, you know, it's fine. I've given up on a Janet and Eddie and the only one to blame for that is me. So, I hope she makes him happy. She sure didn't before." But all Janet can think about is Eddie's hands all over Rory, his mouth on hers, his fingers touching...

"Well, I thought you should know, you know, so you didn't hear it from some jerk on the street."

"Thanks Hannah. You know, I think I 'm going to go hit the hay. I'm pretty wiped out."

"Night Janet, call me tomorrow...or if your water breaks." Hannah jokes.

"I will, and thanks Hannah."

Janet turns her TV and lights off, crawls into bed fully clothed and cries herself to sleep. 


	7. Chapter 7

Eddie sits on Janet's couch, a beer in one hand and the remote in the other. He flicks through the channels searching for a game that doesn't totally suck. Janet calls to him from the kitchen.

"Hey Eddie, need a cold one?"

He assumes she's referring to a beer. "Sure." He drains the remainder of his current bottle, and sets it on the coffee table.

He finally settles on a basketball game, when Janet comes in from the kitchen. She stands in front of him holding his beer, wearing this black silky, lacy thing...nightie? neglisomething? His mind searches a second for the word, until he gives up, settling on Sexy As Hell. His face breaks into the famous Latekka grin.

"Janet, wow..." is all he can muster.

She smiles, twisting the cap off his cold, fresh beer. "Happy birthday,Eddie." She hands him the bottle, playfully tossing the cap at his chest.

Still grinning, "That's one hot get up you got there Meadows." He looks her up and down lasciviously, nodding his approval.

Janet loves when Eddie calls her by her last name. "I picked it out just for you." she purrs sexily.

"Damn, happy birthday to me." he laughs.

Janet kneels down in front of Eddie, pushing his legs open at the same time, moving closer to him. She lifts his shirt, and kisses his stomach. As she licks under the waistband of his jeans, he groans. Her fingers quickly find the button and zipper and she undoes both with expertise.

"Uh Janet, " Eddie swallows, touching her hair. "All the blinds are open."

Janet looks up, grinning wickedly. "What's the matter, Eddie? You want me to stop?"

"Noooooo, hell fucking no..." he says, taking a swig of his beer. "As you were."

The game is on, his beer is ice cold, and he's about to get the best birthday present ever.

Janet's hand reaches into Eddie's jeans and just when she's about to...Eddie wakes up.

"Holy shit." he mutters. "Dude...". He runs his hand through his hair.

Next to him in a hotel bed, Rory stirs. Eddie looks over, realizing where he is.

"Good morning." Rory says.

"Hey," Eddie replies, feeling a little guilty for sort of wishing he was still asleep. He rolls over on to his side, facing the wall, in an attempt to hide his excitement from Rory, hoping she doesn't notice.

"I'm going to take a shower, wanna join me?" she asks, getting up from the bed.

"Uhm, go ahead, I'll join you in a minute." He watches as she walks to the dresser, naked, taking off her dangly earrings. He remembers being annoyed when they snagged on his chest hair as they had sex the night before. He admires her long legs, her perfect breasts, her long blonde hair and realizes he personally knows about thirty guys who would sell their souls to be lying where he is right now. So why the fuck is he having hot dreams about Janet, and why did he have to wake up so soon?"

Eddie picks up his cell phone from the bedside table, noticing that it's been turned off. He always makes sure that his phone is on now that Janet is in her final weeks of the pregnancy, and wonders if the battery died as he presses power. The phone lights up immediately, and he finds himself getting annoyed, realizing that Rory probably turned it off so they wouldn't be interrupted last night. He hears the shower turn on, and Rory humming as she gets in. He notices that he has several voice mail messages, and is about to call his mailbox when the phone rings.

"Hey Phiz, what goes on?"

"Where are you Eddie?"

"Boston, I told you...we decided to stay an extra..."

Phil interrupts Eddie's explaination. "Eddie, Janet's at the hospital?"

"Why? What? What's wrong?" He sits up.

"Dude, she's having a baby. Hello?"

"I know that Phiz, but it's early. she's not due for another two weeks..."

"On what calendar? She's past due, like a week. Eddie, where's your head? Wait, don't answer that."

"I'm on my way."

Eddie gets up out of bed, and searches for something to wear. He finds his jeans and a t-shirt that's not totally wrinkled and throws them on over his boxers. Smelling his pits, he's glad he took a shower last night, even though he could stand another. He's tying his shoes as Rory comes out of the bathroom.

"Hey" she says, rubbing her head with a towel. " I thought you were going to join me?" She stops as she sees Eddie, fully dressed and throwing things in his duffel bag.

"Why are you already dressed?"

"Hurry up Rory, Phil called and Janet's having the baby." Rory wants to object, they were supposed to have the rest of the day to have a late breakfast and leisurely drive back to Knights Ridge. The weekend had been so perfect, she had almost forgotten that Eddie had a pregnant ex-girlfriend.

As Rory finishes getting ready, Eddie calls Janet's cell about thirty times, cursing each time it goes to voice mail. He has no luck getting through to Hannah or Pizza Girl when he tries their numbers. Starting to panic, he calls Nick.

"Best Friend Windows, this is Nick."

"Nicky, it's me."

"Hey Eddie. What's up?"

"Janet, she's having the baby."

"It's about time, she's way overdue."

"Shut up Garrett. Look, no one is answering their phones so I can let them know I am on my way."

"Why, where are you?"

"Boston, leaving as soon as Rory gets dressed." shooting her a look.

"Seriously Eddie? What the Hell?"

"Hey Nick, remember a second ago when I told you to shut up? Get over there and find out what's going on. Please"

"On my way"

Eddie slams his phone closed and throws it on the bed.

"You should calm down Eddie. " Rory tries to reason with him.

"Don't Rory, are you ready yet?"

"Yes." She barely gets the word out when Eddie grabs both their bags and storms out of the room. She grabs her purse, and his phone and follows him out of the hotel and to his truck.

Rory allows the silence until he pulls onto the interstate.

"Ok, so what do you know?"

"Janet's already at the hospital, and I'm like 2 hours away" he spits out.

"Well freaking out isn't going to get you there any faster."

Eddie shoots her a look, which she chooses to ignore.

"So what's the big deal anyway? It's not like you're with her anymore."

"Rory, don't..."

"Well you aren't. She threw away the best thing she will ever have." Just when Eddie thinks she's paying him a compliment, she adds, "She was lucky to even have you in the first place."

Ah, he thinks, there it is...the dig on Janet. He's been waiting weeks for it. He grips the wheel harder and turns up the radio, something he never does since he prefers to drive in silence or to actually talk to the person he's with.

"Eddie, she continues. "Come on, really, so she has the kid and you aren't there. I'm sure her friends are with her. I'm sure Hannah's there." The way she says Hannah makes Eddie turn to look at her.

"Why did you say it like that?" He asks, turning back to the road.

"What?" Rory says, innocently.

"What's your crease with Hannah Jane?"

"Nothing Eddie." she says rolling her eyes. "And I hate it when you all call her Hannah Jane."

Eddie's pissed that he stayed an extra day in Boston, one that he really couldn't afford. He's pissed he miscalculated Janet's due date, he's pissed he might miss his kid being born, and he's pissed with the current conversation taking place in his truck. He realizes, the former is directly effecting the latter.

"Maybe Rooster will go and keep her company." Eddie looks like he's just been punched again by Matt Lauch.

"What did you say?"

"You heard me, why do you care so much about a girl that cheated on you?"

"Rory, YOU cheated on me."

"No, Eddie, I didn't."

"You mind cheated on me."

"What are you, twelve?"

"Well, you broke my heart when you left me Rory, and I vowed no one would ever do that again, and then..." he doesn't finish the sentence.

"What Eddie, and then what?" Rory continues. "Oh my God, Eddie, tell me you weren't in love with her." Rory starts laughing. "I just thought you'd slept with all the pretty girls in town."

"I think that you should drop this now, before I say something I regret." Eddie warns.

"Whatever."

God how he hated that word. Girls always used it and it drove him up the wall.

They rode in silence the rest of the way.

At the hospital, Eddie left his truck running.

"Take it, go home. I'll call you later."

"What? I'm coming with you."

"Nope, not a good idea at all." he tells her as he gathers up his phone, and removes his house key from his ring.

"Eddie."

"Rory, every one of Janet and my friends are in there. and even though they might not agree with what went down with us, they have her back tonight, if not for her, for me. So, please, go home." He leans over, and plants a kiss on her forehead. "I promise I will call you as soon as I can." he says, softening his voice for the first time all day.

Without waiting for her reply, he turns from the truck, quickly striding to the hospital. 


	8. Chapter 8

As the sliding hospital doors open, Eddie spots Nick and Pizza Girl in the waiting room.

"Hey Eddie." Nick stands up.

"Where is she?"

"Uhm..."

"Nick, where is she? Did she already have the baby?"

"I don't know Eddie. Hannah's been in there with her and she hasn't come out with an update in a long time."

"DAMN it" Eddie yells. He resists the urge to punch the wall as he takes off down the hall. He knows where the maternity wing is from the hospital tour they took as part of their Lamaze course.

"Room 642" Pizza Girl calls out.

At the door to Janet's room, Eddie sees there is much commotion. He hears Hannah's voice first.

"Ok Janet, you can do this...push...good..."

Janet makes barely any noise at all, which surprises him. All the women on the shows Eddie has seen on TV are always loud, screaming like someone was murdering them slowly. He thinks back to the last few months when Phil had started taping baby shows on The Learning Channel. At first the shows freaked Eddie out, but Phil insisted that watching them would prepare Eddie for the day he was in the delivery room. Eddie quickly became fascinated with the stories and how each birth was a little different. Some were complicated, some were easy. He started to see why people actually had kids in the first place.

The door opens and a nurse comes out. She looks vaguely familiar to Eddie.

"Hey," he asks, " How do I get in there?" he points towards Janet.

Eddie Latekka, she thinks. I haven't seen him since that night we got drunk at Sully's and messed around.

"You don't." She laughs, looking at him like he's crazy.

"But, I'm the father."

She looks at him again. Eddie Latekka? Captain of the Knights Ridge football team? A dad? And with Janet Meadows, her favorite bartender at Sully's? Well you go Janet, she thinks.

"Look Eddie," he seems surprised that she knows his name. "Hannah is in there with her...I'm not sure..."

"Please...ask...please...Diana." That's her name, Diana. He remembers Sully's, several rounds of shots followed by a mess of beers and a night of obviously forgettable sex.

Diana sighs but turns around and goes back into the room. Eddie looks through the window as she pulls back the privacy curtain slightly. She leans over to whisper to Janet.

"Eddie's here?" he hears her ask,weakly.

Diana returns. "Come in, but wash your hands over there first."

Hannah meets Eddie at the sink.

"What took you so long?"

"I know."

"Eddie..."

"I KNOW" he says, staring Hannah down. He brushes past her on the way to Janet's bedside. "I got this now Hannah."

Eddie comes shyly over to Janet. The room is a mess of monitors, the doctor, some nurses. Janet is lying back a bit on the pillows, sweaty and flushed from pushing.

"Hey." he says softly, smiling at her.

"Hi," she says horsely. She doesn't ask him where he's been, She already knows from Nick via Hannah. "Are you ready for this?"

"Yeah, yes. Totally."

"I mean, let me warn you dude, it's getting pretty gross down there."

"I know."

"How?" She vaguely remembers Eddie looking like he was going to lose his lunch when they watched a videotaped birth one night at Lamaze class. He had kept his eyes closed half the time.

"I just know." He's not confessing to watching A Baby Story with all these chicks present.

"Ok Janet, ready to push?" the doctor asks.

She nods and grips the sheet for dear life as she bears down and pushes for what seems like the hundreth time.

Eddie remembers his coaching duties and takes her hand. He pushes the hair off her forehead as she squeezes out all circulation from his hand.

"Come on Janet, you can do this." the doctor urges.

Janet barely hears Eddie as he whispers encouragement in her ear. She's sure it's reassuring and she's sure it's meant to keep her focused, but all she can think about is how late he was.

After another half hour of pushing, the doctor looks up "I can see the baby's head." she smiles. "We are almost there."

"Really?" Eddie says, looking at Janet as she flops back on the bed.

One thing Janet asked Eddie after Lamaze class one night was to promise her that he would keep his head above her waist during delivery. He argued that he'd spent plenty of time down there before, which caused Janet to flush with excitement, remembering how good he was with his tongue. In the end, she'd convinced him that things would look a whole lot different and he might prefer not to go there. But now, the look on his face was too much.

"Go ahead, look" she says, not caring who was seeing her in all her glory any longer.

"Wow. The head, it's right there."

Janet just shook her head, but smiled as she sat up to push.

Within fifteen minutes, Janet pushes the baby out. Eddie had moved to a position where he could see the whole thing. "It's a girl" a nurse exclaimed, as they suctioned out her mouth and a loud cry pierced the air.

"A girl! We have a girl Janet." Janet nods, closing her eyes. Eddie returns to the top of the bed as the nurses clean off the baby, weigh her and take fingerprints of her hands and feet.

"Hey, you did so good." he says, softly. "How are you?"

"Im good, tired, but good."

"Happy?" he asks, he realizes he wants her to be happy.

She smiles softly at him. "I am Eddie."

She wants to hold him, to kiss him, celebrate that they just had a baby. Then she wants to smack him across his beautiful face for almost missing it. But she figures, knowing Eddie, he's already beating himself up about that.

"Janet? I'm really sorry I almost missed this." He can still read her mind.

"I'm glad you didn't. How was Boston?" She can't believe she asked him, and she really doesn't want to know.

"Janet." he begins. "I know you know I am seeing Rory again." She feels tears forming in her eyes.

"I really want to forgive you for Rooster, but I just can't." He looks sad and he looks like he means it. "But I am one hundred percent here for you with this." he says, motioning towards the baby.

Janet just nods, she can't speak, she is too tired and not just from the delivery.

"We will talk about this later." he promises. All she can think, sarcastically, is "Oh goody."

"Ready for your baby?" the nurse beams.

Janet's eyes shine as she opens her arms to hold her daughter for the first time ever.

"Hey sweet face, I thought you were never going to get here." The baby yawns, making Janet laugh. "I know exactly how you feel kid."

Eddie can only stare at the tiny bundle, humbled, amazed that he had a part in making her. She is the one good thing to come out of the Janet/Rooster debacle.

"What are you going to name her? Eddie asks.

"I want you to name her." Janet looks at him, serious.

"Janet...Really? " Eddie's amazed. It's exactly like Janet to entrust him with something so huge. He immediately regrets bringing up Rory. "Wow...I don't know."

"Go home, sleep on it. You'll figure it out" she says, kissing the baby's forehead. He knows she's talking about the name, but he can't help thinking she's asking him to think about so much more. Maybe it's time to start forgiving her a little.

"Eddie? You want to hold her?"

He nods, although he's never really held a newborn before. He sits on the bed next to Janet as she carefully puts their daughter in his arms. All he can do is stare into her newborn eyes as she stares right back. Finally she blinks, sleepily. Eddie feels himself fall madly in love.

"She has your nose" he smiles and Janet notices he has tears in his eyes.

"Oh boy, you're a goner Latekka" she cracks.

An hour later, he reluctantly leaves the room. Janet is going to try nursing, and he wants to give her some privacy. He also realizes there are some people out in the waiting room, anxious for the news.

"It's a girl!" he smiles sheepishly at Hannah, Pizza Girl and Nick.

"Oh, a girl." Pizza Girl sighs. "I knew it!"

Nick slaps him on the back and Hannah hugs him.

"How is she Eddie?" she whispers.

"Sad." he admits. "She said she's happy, but I know Janet, she's not."

Hannah breaks their embrace.

"What do you mean?"

"I think she's a little overwhelmed, she's tired for sure, but there's this sad look around her eyes. I don't know..."

"Yes you do Eddie."

He looks at Hannah quizically.

"Eddie, this is supposed to be the happiest day of her life and well..."

"Janet and I aren't together anymore, Hannah. I can't pretend that this baby changes the fact that she betrayed me."

"You're right Eddie."

"I am?" Damn if Hannah Jane Daniels isn't the most confusing woman he knows.

"Yeah. Janet messed up, BIG TIME. She knows you two are over, but I think she thought she could forget that for today and then you go and show up late."

"I know...but I made it."

"Barely. So Eddie if she's a little sad, don't ignore that, talk to her. And if you think there's somewhere in that big, fat broken heart of yours you can forgive her just a little, try to do that too."

Hannah walks away with Pizza Girl down to Janet's room.

"She's right you know." Nick says behind Eddie.

"Nick, I am not in the mood..."

"I forgave you."

"What? " A look flashes across Eddie's face. "You forgave ME?"

"Yeah, for sleeping with Hannah."

Eddie looks down at the floor. "How long...?"

"Years Eddie. Ronnie told me a long time ago. "

"How the Hell did Ronnie know?"

"Who know's Eddie? Maybe Hannah confessed to him, maybe he heard it somewhere around town. He never really said how he knew, but I believed him. I spent several years of my life hating you two for that."

"Hence the extra special treatment in your book." Eddie says, sitting down.

"Yeah, maybe. But Eddie, I finally realized I could hate you forever, or I could come home and try and get back the best friend I ever had."

"How come you never said anything?"

"Why? Obviously it didn't mean much, you aren't with her and you know what Eddie..." Nick trails off, but taps his heart with his hand.

"Nicky, I'm sorry..."

"Don't be Eddie, just remember, we all fuck up, and it's only the ones we love the most that do the most damage to our hearts."

They sit in silence for a few minutes.

"Look Eddie, I got to get back to the store. One of us in this relationship has to work." he grins. "Call me if you need to."

"See you later Nicky."

Eddie wants to go back to Janet's room where it's warm with love. He wants to hold his baby and talk to Janet until she falls asleep, but instead he runs to catch Nick for a ride. 


	9. Chapter 9

The next day Janet is up early. She's exhausted from getting up all night with the baby to feed, to change diapers and to hold her when she cried. The night nurse came into the room to check on her around two and attempted to get Janet to allow her take the baby to the nursery so she could get some uninterrupted sleep, but Janet refused. She knew she needed to get used to the sleepless nights and a new routine since she wouldn't be in the hospital forever. Now all Janet wants this morning is a hot shower, the sponge bath she was given after being stiched up yesterday was not enough to make her feel really clean.

"Good morning Janet." Diana smiles, coming into the room.

"Hi."

"I'm here to check on you and the baby, see how you two are doing before check out later."

"I would love a shower." Janet admits. "Is that ok?"

"Sure." Diana looks around the room, realizing that no one is there with Janet. "If you want, I'll help you into the shower, and watch her until you're out." Diana is dying to ask where Eddie is. She should have guessed he wouldn't stick around until the morning. Rumor around town is he never did.

"That would be great." Janet says. "Hannah was supposed to be here, but I guess something came up."

"And Eddie?" Diana asks, immediately knowing she's overstepped her bounds from the look on Janet's face. "I'm sorry. I just thought since he was the dad..."

"You know Eddie?"

"Uh, yeah, we go way back." Diana likes Janet, she always slipped extra rum in her drinks and they shared many a shot at the bar, comisserating over the lack of good men in the Ridge. Diana had been out of town for six months, taking care of her ailing mother, so although she heard all the gossip surrounding the begininngs of Eddie and Janet, she had yet to catch up on town speculation about the end of their relationship. She made a mental note to call a few friends later for all the juicy details.

Janet immediately knows what "going way back" means. She can't go too many places in Knights Ridge without running into one of Eddie's conquests.

"Eddie went home last night. Things are kind of complicated between us right now."

"Strange, things are usually so cut and dry where Eddie Latekka's concerned." They laugh a little together. "I never thought he would have a kid though."

"Me either." Janet agrees.

Diana helps Janet to the shower, and once she knows that she's able to fend for herself, she closes the door and goes to check on the baby.

Janet takes a really hot, long shower. Her hair and her body never felt so dirty, well not since her night with Rooster. She realizes she took a similarly hot shower after sleeping with him and she feels tears come to her eyes again. Exhausted, sad, overwhelmed and alone, Janet allows herself to sob uncontrollably, resting her body against the tile wall. She cries until she's empty and turns off the water. She roots around in her bag for something loose and comfortable to wear. She pulls on her slouchy yoga pants and a loose t-shirt over her maternity bra, which she notes with distaste is the ugliest bra she's ever owned. She towel dries her hair until it's damp and puts a little bit of lip gloss with color.

Staring in the mirror, she sticks out her tongue at her reflection. "Meadows, you are hopeless, you know that?"

She comes out of the bathroom and smiles at Diana. "Thanks for letting me shower...I needed it big time."

Diana brings the baby to Janet as she situates herself on her bed. "I'll be back later on when you check out."

"Thanks Diana."

"Sure Janet, and chin up. Eddie will do the right thing. I'm sure of it." she pats her arm. I'll have them send you down some breakfast in a while."

Janet smiles sadly at Diana as she leaves the room. She relaxes back on the pillows, drawing up her knees, she rests the baby in her lap.

"I hope your daddy hurries up and picks a name for you...You need a name don't you think?"

"She does." Eddie says, coming into the room, carrying the world's largest bouquet of flowers.

"I didn't even hear you come in." Janet smiles a bit, wondering if it's possible for a man to get cuter overnight.

Eddie almost goes over to kiss Janet out of habit, but stops. "These are for you." He places the flowers on a table next to the bed.

"Thank you. You know, I think that's the first time you ever brought me flowers. You're not going soft on me Eddie, are you?" Janet says, as Eddie notices a spark in her eye, indicating she's teasing him.

"I figured it was the least I could do seeing as you, you know, had my kid."

He was happy to see Janet laughing. Maybe her emotions were just in overdrive the day before. She holds the baby out to him as Eddie takes her in his arms, carefully. He slowly lowers himself into the chair next to Janet's bed and places a kiss on his little girls cheek.

"So," Eddie starts. "I was up really late last night."

"Careful Eddie, innocent ears present." She jokes, motioning to the baby.

"Ha ha. I thought long and hard about a name for this beautiful girl."

"And?" Janet braces herself. She's drawing a line at any name he may have chosen from one of Hef's magazines.

As Eddie coos over the baby, Janet remembers a rainy evening they spent at his house early on into their relationship. They had spent the day in bed, doing things to each other that Janet never imagined she could ever do with a man, let alone Eddie Latekka. When they came up for air, Eddie had gone downstairs for something to drink, and she stretched her body out in his narrow bed. Raising her hands over her head, she slipped them under the pillow, feeling something hard. She sat up, pulling out an issue of Playboy. She was flipping through the pages as Eddie returned, carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses.

"I found this bottle of..."

"Busted!" she joked, holding up the magazine.

"Where'd you get that?" he thought he'd hidden all those in the closet.

She patted her pillow, "I assume you keep it close for inspiration."

He blushed, and she remembered how freaking sexy he looked standing in the dim light in just his boxers.

"Those girls, Janet, they aren't real." he said, placing the wine and glasses on the nightstand and sitting next to her on the bed.

"I know Eddie."

"Seriously" he said, "Sure I look, sure I use the magazine for...what did you call it? Inspiration, sometimes...but not since you and I started, you know...That's kind of got me going on several occasions."

"Yeah, but Eddie, admit it." she says, flipping to a page with a hot brunette in a complicated position, "she has got some great cans."

He looked at the magazine then at Janet and realized he hit pay dirt. A cool chick in his bed that will look at porn with him? He grabbed the magazine and tossed it on the floor as he rolled on top of Janet.

"Janet..." Eddie calls her back to reality. "Earth to Janet."

"Sorry Eddie, lost in thought." She briefly thinks about reminiscing with him when he starts talking.

"I can tell." he raises his eyebrows. "Madison Louise." he says, simply.

A feather could have knocked Janet over at that very moment. It was perfect.

"Louise," he begins, "after your Grams." Janet nods. The hatred she felt towards Eddie for admiting his dalliances with Rory yesterday were headed right out the window.

"Thank you for that Eddie," she says softly. "It's perfect."

"I'm not finished. Don't you want to know where I got her first name from?"

"Of course." She thought he was done. She figured he just liked the name Madison. She racks her brain, trying to remember if there was a Madison in his family somewhere.

"Remember Christmas Eve?"

"The wolf?"

"The wolf," he smiles. She giggles, still maybe the stupidest idea for a gift she's had in her life.

"Actually, I was referring to later that night, when we drove around, clearing the streets?"

"Yeah Eddie, I remember." her voice barely above a whisper. That was the night she realized how much she cared about Eddie as they talked, laughed and drank hot chocolate. The snow had made the night magical.

"Well, you conked out on me about three in the morning and as I drove up and down all those side streets, I realized I was finally, truly happy for the first time in my life. I didn't want to be anywhere else except driving with you by my side. And that's exactly what I was thinking when I turned onto Madison Drive."

Janet's heart skips a beat.

"So Janet, no matter what happens between us, I always want you to remember how much you've changed me. I know shit's not right between us now, and no matter how mad I might be, I know that I am a better man because of you, and I have a feeling this little girl here is going to have the same effect."

Janet looks down at her hands.

"What?" he says as she looks up, tears streaking her cheeks. "You hate it?"

She shakes her head. "No Eddie, it's perfect." 


	10. Chapter 10

Diana returns as promised to process Janet's paperwork and give the new parents a lesson on how to swaddle the baby in a blanket. Janet, a perfect student masters the technique on the first try. Eddie, on the other hand, is having a little difficulty handling the task.

"Visualize a burrito, Eddie." Diana suggests, when Eddie picks up Madison, only to have her feet poke out from the bottom of the blanket. Frustrated, he sets her down on the bed, and tries again. Realizing he could go for a burrito right about now, Eddie concentrates and slowly wraps the baby once more with success. He breathes a sigh of relief, proud he's passed his first test.

Eddie sits down on the messy, unmade bed as Janet finishes packing her bags.

"Hannah's not here yet." Janet says, a little nervously. "She's supposed to pick us up, she has my car and the baby seat."

"I've got it." Eddie says. He stands and hands Janet the baby, as he gathers up her bags and flowers.

"Eddie? Car seat...They won't let me take her home without one."

"I know, I put a car seat in my truck this morning."

Janet realizes Eddie needs a car seat too. The joys of shared custody. "Oh" she says, flatly.

Eddie looks at her, knowing how hard this situation is for them both. "Look Janet, let's worry about the specifics later ok? Right now we should focus on getting Mads home safe."

"Mads?"

"Yeah, I figure everyone will start calling her Maddie soon enough, and I wanted a nick name all my own" he smiles, sounding once again like a proud papa.

Diana wheels Janet out to Eddie's truck. She helps them navigate the car seat for the first time and makes sure they have it fastened to the base properly. She gives Janet a hug goodbye and promises to find her when she comes for the baby's first follow up appointment. Diana slips her phone number into Janet's hand. "Call me whenever, for whatever. New babies are a hard thing to do alone." Janet feels as if she has a new friend in Diana and her eyes reflect how thankful she is.

Eddie helps Janet into the back seat and shuts the door as Janet buckles herself in next to the car seat. She spies a thick book wedged between the passenger seat and the middle console of the truck. She pries it out, and laughs as she realizes what it is.

"So this is where my book is?" She holds up Hannah's well worn copy of 'What To Expect When You're Expecting'. "I have been looking for this for days."

Eddie looks at her in the rearview mirror. "I kind of took it from your house one night. I wanted to read about what was going on with you and the baby, you know to prepare."

"Reading books, and watching TLC, Eddie...you never cease to amaze me." Janet says with a joking tone, but she means every word.

Janet gets out of the truck at her house. Staring at her front yard, she's speechless. The lawn is freshly mowed and the shrubs have been shaped up. The weeds she couldn't bend over to pull up in her last months of pregnancy are all gone and someone has placed pots of bright flowers on all the steps leading up to her front porch. She immediately thinks that Hannah had Ray come over and take care of the yard.

Eddie comes around the truck with the car seat. "Looks like Ikey made it over here after all." Eddie grins. He has to hand it to his friends. They might not like what Janet's done to Eddie's heart, but they still pull through every time. He brushes aside the bitter disappointment he's felt over the past year for both Ikey and Janet and focuses on getting them all inside the house.

"Wow." she says, walking up the path to her door, taking it all in. She is touched that Ikey did this for her, but she knows he really did it for Eddie. "My yard hasn't looked this good since..." She allows the thought to trail off. One of the perks, and there were many, of dating Eddie Latekka was having a personal landscaper at her disposal. She loved it when he worked out here shirtless as she watched from the kitchen, listing the ways she was going to expend his sweaty body as soon as he was done. When they broke up, she barely kept up on her lawn at all. She had paid Sam to mow it a couple of times, but judging from his work, she wasn't expecting him to go into business with Eddie in the future.

Janet unlocks her front door. Everything is exactly as she left it two days ago, and she's glad to be home. She notices a card resting on her dining table and unseals the envelope. She recognizes Hannah's stationary.

Janet,

I wanted to pick you up from the hospital, but Eddie insisted. (Don't let him tell you anything different!) There's some groceries in the fridge, I'll be by in the morning to see you. Kiss that sweet baby for me before you put her in the crib tonight.

Love, Hannah

The crib, Janet looks forlornly towards the nursery door. It's open just a bit, which confuses her. She purposely kept the door shut to keep Saffron from wandering in there. She goes to the room as Eddie carefully takes the baby out of her car seat. Slowly opening the nursery door, she realizes forces were at work while she was at the hospital.

The walls are painted a creamy yellow color that reminds Janet of butter. Painted in a shade darker than the walls, and hung with patterned ribbons, are wooden letters spelling out Madison's name. Gingham curtains frame the wide window facing the back yard, which she notes Ikey must have also mowed. There's a new cover on the rocking chair and as Janet makes her way to the crib, she notices the most beautiful quilt folded over the side rail. She runs her hand over the quilt. It's white with appliqued birds in yellow, pink and green, and tiny flowers have been painstakingly embroidered all over. She tries to place where she has seen the quilt as she runs her hands over the fabric.

Eddie comes into the room. "Pizza Girl" he says as Janet turns around, confused. "She remembered how much you wanted that quilt you saw in some store in Boston when you two went there shopping."

"But Eddie" she gasps, " I didn't buy it because it cost over 200!"

"I know, you bitched about that thing for days remember?" She nods. "Pizza Girl went online and found a picture of the quilt, and she spent months making her own version."

"Oh my God, Eddie..."

"I know," he smiles softly. "She really wanted you to have it, but she couldn't afford the one in the store."

"This," Janet holds the quilt up to admire the handiwork. "This is so much better."

Eddie agrees. "Only the best for my two girls."

Two girls? Did he just say two girls? Janet hears herself shouting in her head. She wants to jump up and down and revel. He said two girls! She wants to scream, she wants to twirl, she wants to sit down before her uterus falls out.

"Eddie when did you..."

"Last night, after I left the hospital. Hannah called me and told me she was coming over here to get things ready for you. She also told me that you were too proud to ask me to help you paint the room. So I went to the hardware store, and I came over here and painted all night. Phil painted those letters, and Hannah covered the rocking chair."

"I can never thank you..."

"You kind of already did" he says, holding Madison up a bit. Janet reaches up and touches his face. She runs her thumb over his rough, unshaven cheek and stands on her tip toes to kiss his cheek softly. She's surprised when Eddie doesn't pull away. Madison, lets out a small cry, forcing them apart.

"I think she might be hungry." Janet laughs, taking her from Eddie.

"Feed her, I'll go get the rest of the stuff out of the truck."

Eddie comes back in with the bags, dropping them on the floor next to the couch and heads back to the nursery to ask Janet where he should put them. He stops in the doorway. Janet has settled into the rocking chair, nursing Madison. The low afternoon sunlight pours in through the window, casting a glow in the room. Eddie is frozen, he's read that you see women differently once you see them holding and feeding your child, and now he understands exactly what that means.

Janet senses that Eddie is back and looks up. Embarassed she reaches for the blanket on the arm of the chair to cover her breast.

"Don't" Eddie says, as he leans lazily against the door frame, nothing could drag him from this moment. "Please...don't"

And she doesn't. 


	11. Chapter 11

Authors note: The character of Emily has been used with permission.

Six months into motherhood and Janet is finally getting into the swing of things. She and the baby are on a good sleeping and feeding schedule, and Janet is happy that Eddie abides by it perfectly the times that he has Madison. They settled into a routine which, although far from perfect, works for them with barely any difficulty. Janet has the baby on days she doesn't work at Sully's and she drops her off at Best Friend Windows before her night shifts. She misses Madison something fierce when Eddie has her at nights, and is always up early in the morning, waiting on the porch, watching for Eddie's truck. When Janet works the lunch shift, Eddie brings Madison to the shop, one of the many perks of owning his own business. Nick loves having her there and Eddie has to admit Madison is responsible for sealing many a deal.

Eddie is finishing up paperwork on a new order when Nick comes in with coffee.

Nick hands Eddie a cup, "Another order?" he asks, surprised.

Eddie nods "Mrs. Samuels, over on Mason Street."

"Whew," Nick whistles. "That's gonna be a huge job. She has like a thousand windows in that house."

"Yeah, we're refinishing all her floors too."

"Dude, seriously?" Nick picks Madison up from the play pen Eddie's set up in the corner. "You, little girl, are hired!"

Eddie laughs. "Mrs. S couldn't put her down. She just kept carrying around Mads, pointing at windows and adding more shit to her order."

"Are you two pimping my kid out again?" Janet jokes, coming in the open front door.

Nick and Eddie shoot each other guilty looks.

"I'm kidding guys, who can resist the cutest kid in the Ridge?" Janet takes the baby from Nick. "Did you talk to him yet?" she asks Eddie, nodding towards Nick.

"No, and what are you doing here? " Eddie questions.

"Sully cut my shift. The bar was dead." She notices Eddie looks a little disappointed that she's there. "Don't worry Eddie, I'm not here to take her just yet. I have to go to the grocery store and the post office. I just needed to see her face."

"Guys, back to me." Nick interjects. "Talk to me about what?"

"Nicky, we want to know if you would be Mad's godfather." Eddie asks.

"Making me an offer I can't refuse, huh?"

Janet rolls her eyes, she knew asking Nick was going to start a barrage of quotes from their favorite movie. Each year, Eddie, Nick, and the boys meet for their annual Godfather Gathering. They watch all three movies back to back. No interruptions, no cell phones, no pausing the movie for bathroom or beer breaks allowed. She had made the mistake of dropping by to see Eddie the last time, smack dab in the middle of Godfather 2. She and Pizza Girl were in the kitchen for over an hour, waiting with a stack of pies, both had miscalculated the showing schedule Phil had printed out for them.

"I am so out of here if you guys start reciting the whole damn movie." Janet says.

Eddie and Nick grin. "What do you say Nick?"

"Eddie, Janet, I'll give you anything you ask." Nick says.

Janet makes a move for the baby bag, threatening to follow through with her promise to leave. Eddie shakes his head and uses his hand to make a slicing motion across his neck, warning Nick to stop.

"Of course Janet, I would be proud to be the godfather. I assume Hannah is going to be the godmother?"

Janet nods. "Are you OK with that?"

Nick is very OK with that, he can't wait to see the look on Cataldo's ugly face when he's standing up on that church alter with Hannah Jane.

Two weeks later, the party after the baptism was held at Eddie and Phil's house. People were slowly making their way to the house from the church, and Owen had set up camp on the porch to barbecue. Madison was sitting on the Commander's lap as he and Leslie played with her and Janet busied herself setting up the food table.

"Hey." Emily, Leslie's daughter walks in carrying two pies.

"Hey Emily." Janet says, taking the pies from her. "Thanks for making these. How's work going?"

Sully had hired Emily on the spot to fill the spot in the schedule left by Rooster who'd flown coop over to The Johnson Inn. Eddie's constant presence at the bar made Rooster nervous, and he left quietly after giving his two week notice. Although Emily was only supposed to be in town temporarily, she'd accepted the job. She needed to get out of the Garrett house once in awhile . Spending all her evenings with her mother and the Commander wasn't exactly her idea of a good time.

"I like the job, and let me tell you...there are some nice looking men in this town." she laughs.

"Don't I know it." Janet agrees.

"Speaking of, what goes on with you and Eddie?"

Janet and Emily have spent many a night behind the bar dissecting her relationship with Eddie, and Janet smiles at how easily Emily has adapted to the Ridge lingo. "Same old shit, you know? He's so good with the baby, he's always there for her...but us? Nothing, zero, flat line."

She looks over to the living room where Eddie's standing, arm resting on the fireplace, drinking a beer. She loves Eddie in a suit. He only owns one, and she knows he hates wearing it, but he looks sexy, especially when he loosens his tie. He smiles at Janet a little, and she can tell he's currently bored with the conversation he's sharing with Ikey.

Eddie lets his mind wander as Ikey yammers on about some girl from the liquor store he has his eye on. He spots Janet and smiles at her as she arranges the table full of food. She looks really good in that dress. Girls in the Ridge hardly ever wear dresses, with the exception of Nina, the sexy town realtor. The last time Janet had worn that dress, he'd taken her to the Johnson Inn for a quiet dinner. It was early in their relationship, and they were still in their nervous-on-dates phase. Eddie remembered how ridiculous they acted when they were on that date. He could sit at the bar any damn night and talk to Janet for hours about anything, and yet put them together at a table with some fancy chicken and candles and they clammed up. They had driven around town after dinner, which relaxed them, and Janet had rolled the truck window down to let in the unseasonably warm evening air. Parking outside her house, Eddie turned off his truck and faced her. She looked sexy, leaning up against the truck door in that blue dress which dipped down in the front and hit her right at her knee. He liked that she had kept her legs bare instead of wearing pantyhose.

Eddie turned back towards Ikey who was still talking about Liquor Store Girl. Eddie rolled his eyes a bit and, swigging his beer, returned to his thoughts.

He reached over and caressed Janet's leg as he leaned over to kiss her. They had spent many nights in his truck like this, kissing for hours, groping a little bit, but eventually coming up with some lame excuse to end the evening. That night, however, Eddie decided he was going to run like hell towards the next base. He leaned closer over Janet pulling her legs over his lap. His hand creeped up higher under her dress feeling her thigh. He felt a little resistance, but no matter how nervous she was, he was going to persist.

"Eddie" she whispered in his ear as he kissed the skin above her bra. Lacy and black, she knew just what he liked. He pulled her dress to the side a bit so he could get a better look.

"Shhh. Just relax Janet." His hand inched further up her leg. His tongue teasing her breast just under the top of her bra.

"You feel so good" she moaned, trying to unbutton his shirt.

He pulled back, looking her in the eye. "Nope" he said, grinning. "this isn't about me tonight."

Janet looks at him like he's crazy. "What are you talking about Eddie?"

He kissed her neck as his fingers found her panties and slipped under lace on the side.

"Whoa Eddie..."

"Shut up Janet, and relax" He gently pushed her down on the seat and inched her dress up. He ran his tongue up her inner thigh. "Relax" he whispered into her skin. He felt the exact moment when she finally gave up her struggle. Eddie expertly removed her panties and went to work doing what he'd spent many an evening, with many a woman, perfecting. He knew when he'd hit the right spot with his mouth as Janet arched her back and moaned, urging him on. Eddie, with all his practice had never had such results as he did with Janet. She panted, curling her fingers into his hair, moaning louder. At the peak of her excitement, she growled out his name. After, he sat up, grinning, as she smoothed her dress down, her body still shaking.

"Dude, no way." he hears Ikey, almost in the distance.

"What?" Eddie asks, but his eyes follow Ikey's finger which is pointing to the car outside.

"Shit," Eddie whispers as he watches Rory emerge from the front seat. She goes to the trunk and pulls out a big box, professionally wrapped.

"You have got to be kidding me." Emily says. "Janet?" she nudges Janet, who's bent over, arranging vegetables on a tray.

"Yeah?" Janet looks up as the door opens and Rory walks in.

"Unfuckingbelievable" Emily says. "Eddie has got gigantic balls, and absolutely no tact."

Janet looks around the room nervously for Hannah. She spots her coming out of the kitchen with a bowl of punch.

"Rory." Hannah's voice does not disguise her surprise. She immediately looks at Janet.

"Hi, Hannah", spotting Janet she smiles, almost cruelly, Janet thinks. "Hi there Janet. I'm sorry I missed the ceremony, but I hope this will make up for it." She holds up the gift.

Janet takes a deep breath. "Rory, thank you. You can take it on into the living room. I think Eddie will know what to do with it."

Hannah sets the punch bowl down, and leans into Janet "I don't think that thing will fit up his ass."

Eddie looks over toward the dining room. He tries to catch Janet's eye, to let her know he had no idea Rory was going to show up for this, but she won't look up from those damn carrots. Rory comes over to him and wraps her arms around him. "Hi there, handsome." Eddie halfheartedly hugs her, and notices Janet not only has looked up, but she's holding back tears.

"What are you doing here Rory?" Eddie whispers.

"Well, I was done early with my photo shoot in New York, so I decided to surprise you."

"You didn't just surprise me." Rory, however, has broken her embrace and goes over to the couch to sit next to the Commander and fuss over the baby.

"Anyone ever see Cinderella?" Pizza Girl says, wandering into the room, eating a celery stick. Janet, Hannah and Emily look back at her blankly.

"Wicked Stepmother." she whispers, as the girls giggle, not caring who hears.

Janet manages to avoid Eddie the rest of the afternoon and tries to enjoy the day, and put the focus back on Madison, who's the star of the show. Around four, when people begin to leave, Janet slips upstairs to feed Madison. She goes into Eddie's room, but avoids the bed, opting for the overstuffed chair in the corner. As Madison settles in, Janet wonders how many times Rory and Eddie have had sex in his bed. The door opens as Janet rearranges the blanket over the baby.

"Hey." Eddie says. "I figured you were in here."

"Quiet." she admits. "Is this OK?"

"Of course. Look Janet, I need you to know something." Janet raises her brow, indicating she's listening. "I didn't invite Rory today. She knew this was going on, but I assumed since she was in New York..."

"It's OK Eddie. She's got the right to be here. She is your girlfriend."

"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly happy she's here."

"What do you mean?" Janet asks, wanting to kick herself for asking.

"Do you really think I wanted to make you uncomfortable? Come on Janet."

Janet sighs. "Eddie, it's been a long day, I'm really tired and I don't really care to discuss why Rory is here."

Eddie stands up, looking at Janet angrily. "See you later Janet" as he walks from the room.

Janet was so happy to leave the house on Gelson Street and go home alone with the baby. She put a sleepy Madison in her crib, kissing her on the cheek. She goes into the bathroom and changes into her robe and takes off her makeup. After turning out most of the lights, and making sure the baby's asleep, she feeds the dog and makes herself a cup of tea. Settling on the couch with Saffron, she zones out, watching some made for TV movie.

The light changes on the porch and the dog lifts her head. She jumps off the couch, wagging her tail excitedly as Eddie appears at the screen door.

"Can I come in?" he asks. "I brought over all the gifts."

Janet gets up, and opens the door. Eddie has two large shopping bags in each hand. "Pizza Girl packed them up." He says, setting them down and leaning over to pet the dog.

"You didn't have to come over tonight." she says.

"I wanted to." Eddie says. "I don't think we left things right earlier."

"No I guess not." she agrees. "But Eddie, it's an old topic. You are dating Rory, and I can't be bitter every time I see her. I'm sorry for that."

"I think that I've just been trying so hard to get over us."

"I know Eddie."

"But it's not working."

"What do you mean?"

Madison cries out from her crib. Janet smiles an apology for having to stop their conversation. When she comes back into the living room, Eddie's not there. The dog standing in front of the closed bathroom door indicates where he is.

"Janet" Eddie comes back into the room as she turns around. He's got her bra hanging off his index finger. "This is new."

"Eddie." she gasps, but giggles as she feels her face flush.

"I like it." It's lilac lace and very sheer. Janet feels like a million bucks when she wears it under her grubbiest clothes. "Did you buy it for something special? Or someone?"

Did he really just ask that? She shoots him a look.

"I guess that's not my business is it?"

"Eddie, I bought it for myself. I needed new ones because things have changed in that area."

"I know" he says, his eyes twinkling. Janet blushes again.

He hands the bra back to her. "If this was in there, that must mean," he comes closer to her, running his hand under her robe, "mmmm, there's nothing on under here."

Janet closes her eyes. Jesus, his hand feels good, and she feels her nipple react to his fingers.

Eddie parts her lips with his tongue and rubs her breast with the palm of his hand as he kisses her, deeply softly, sexily.

Janet puts her hands on his chest, and using all her willpower, pushes him away from her. "Eddie. Have things changed since I left your house?

Eddie looks at her, confused.

"Have you broken off things with Rory?"

He shakes his head.

"We can't do this."

"Janet, I want you." he touches her hair. "I want to fuck you." he whispers.

She usually loves it when Eddie gets a little dirty with her. "No Eddie, not like this. You should go."

He tries once more, taking her hand and placing on his crotch. His eyes are begging.

"Eddie. I want this more than you know, but not like this. You should go."

Eddie looks at her sadly, and slowly walks out the front door.


	12. Chapter 12

Eddie grabs a cold beer from his fridge and makes his way up the stairs. He can't wait to get this suit off and thinks he's probably had it on longer that day then all the other times he's worn the damn thing collectively. He shuts his door and slips off his shoes. Taking off his jacket, he goes to throw it on the chair, almost hitting Rory.

"Well, don't stop there big boy" she smiles.

"Jesus, Rory you scared me."

"Where you been Eddie?" she crosses one long leg over the other.

"Why? Were we supposed to go out tonight? His mind comes up blank when he goes through his schedule.

"No."

"Wait, that's right, because YOU weren't supposed to be back in town until tomorrow." bitterness tinging his words.

Rory tosses her hair off her shoulders and stares at her perfectly manicured hands. "Eddie, how come you mentioned this damn party to me at least fifteen times, and never once bothered to invite me?"

"Rory..." Eddie pauses, trying to choose his words carefully.

"You really hurt my feelings Eddie. I'm your girlfriend and I care about Madison too." Eddie nods, she's been pretty good with the baby-and the situation.

"I don't know Rory. I guess I was trying to make things comfortable for everyone."

"You mean Janet."

"Huh?", but Eddie knows she's right.

"You mean Janet." she repeats. "She's the only one who should have issue with me coming around, and even she should just get over it. She fucked you two up."

Eddie sighs. He doesn't want to get into an arguement with Rory about Janet. He just wants to open his beer, sit back on his bed and take care of the raging hard on he's had since leaving Janet's house.

"You know Eddie, if you and I are going to work, we have to communicate. We also have to figure out a way to exist with Janet in our lives. She can be part of it, but she can't run the show."

"Rory, what are you talking about?" Eddie really is confused this time.

"You and me...moving forward. Isn't that were we are headed?"

"Uhm, I don't think so. You got dumped by your husband." Eddie notices her flich. "Sorry, but it's true, and I got cheated on. So I think maybe we were trying to make each other feel better."

"So you're saying you don't love me..." Rory argues.

Eddie shakes his head. "I don't think I ever could love you again."

"Wow Eddie, you sure know how to sweet talk a lady."

"What? You left me like two seconds after you moved away to go to college. "

"Janet cheated on you, and you seem to have forgiven her."

"I'm not discussing Janet with you. And Rory, I forgave you too. I just don't think I am the same guy I was when you dated me before."

"That's for sure."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"The Eddie Latekka I knew wouldn't be sitting here mooning over some girl that had cheated on him. He would have kicked her fat ass right to the curb and never looked back. Then he would have proceeded to fuck the shit out of every girl in his path. After all, isn't that what you've been doing since I left you?"

Eddie fights the urge to yell at her. Partially because he knows she's right. There were many, many one night stands after Rory dumped him. It took him about a year to stop fucking for revenge.

"See Rory, that was the old Eddie. So much has changed me. Nick leaving, Ikey cheating with one of our best friends' wives, Janet coming into my life, one business going under, and another one starting when Nick came back. I have spent most of my life unhappy, and blaming that on the actions of my friends. I let their decisions effect the past ten years of my life. But someone told me that I can't do that, I can't let the things they do keep disappointing me. At some point I had to ask myself if my friendships were worth more than my frustration over their fuck ups." Eddie sinks down onto his unmade bed.

"So, you're saying that you can forgive them, but not me."

"Were you listening to anything I just said? I did forgive you."

Rory comes over and sits next to Eddie on the bed. She kisses his neck, and fiddles with his tie.

"So where does this leave us?"

"I don't know Rory. I just don't know."

Rory pulls Eddie's face to hers and kisses him.

"Rory, I am beat..." plus he wants to imagine Janet doing sexy things to him while he eases his erection.

She stands and pulls her sweater over her head. She's not wearing a bra.

Rory pushes Eddie back on his bed, and he doesn't persist.


	13. Chapter 13

"Janet, hurry UP!" Hannah yells from her place on the couch. The girls are over for coffee, muffins and to help her unwrap the huge pile of gifts Madison received at her party yesterday.

"Jeesh Hannah," Pizza Girl says. "I never knew you were so into baby gifts."

"I'm not," Hannah assures them. "But Janet has dirt."

"Ooooh" Emily says, her eyes widening. "My mom told me there's a vicious rumor mill in this town..."

Janet comes in the room with the coffee pot in one hand, four mugs in the other. She sets the mugs down and pours the coffee.

"Ladies," she starts, sitting on the couch next to Hannah. "What I am about to tell you is neither rumor nor dirt."

"You said you had something juicy to tell us." Pizza Girl looks a little disappointed.

"Oh, it's juicy alright. Eddie came over last night."

"Right, with the gifts." Emily says. Maybe Janet doesn't know what constitutes gossip. Maybe she should have stayed home, slept in, and lingered over brunch staring at Nick.

"He totally tried to have sex with me last night..." Janet trails off.

"Wha??" Hannah spits out some of her muffin.

Janet nods, smiling.

Emily sits up on her knees, she's eager to hear this. That Eddie Latekka's one hot man, and she hopes there's some discussion about what goes on under that flannel.

Janet sips her coffee before continuing. "I was pretty much asleep on the couch, and he shows up. After checking on the baby, I come out here and he's holding my bra, you know that purple one I got when we went to Target?" she looks at Pizza Girl, who nods.

"That's a pretty sexy bra," she adds.

"Anyhow, he was like dangling it in front of me and then, bam, he's kissing me, and feeling me up."

"Under or over?" Emily asks curiously.

"Under. Then he goes.." Janet lowers her voice an octave to impersonate Eddie. "Janet, I want to fuck you."

The girls start talking all at the same time.

"Ahhhh, my ears...bleeding" Pizza Girl says.

"Shut UP!" Hannah says.

"Go Eddie." Emily adds as Janet laughs at them.

"You go girl," Emily says. "Well...was it good?" she adds after a few seconds.

"Oh I kicked him out." Janet admits. "It took all I had, but I sent him home."

"Why?" Hannah inquires.

"Because he's still with Rory."

The girls all grimace at the mention of her name, and Janet loves them for that. She's had a hard time seeing Eddie around town with Rory. She likes to take daily walks, pushing Madison in her stroller as the dog trots along happily, and she almost always has a Rory/Eddie sighting. She's seen them eating lunch at Murph's, drinking coffee on a park bench, kissing by his truck...She really wanted to hate Rory, and sometimes she did, especially when she was fake sweet to Janet when they were in the same room. After the initial "That Bitch Has My Man" attitude, Janet resigned herself to behaving, if only for Madison. She didn't ever want her child to have memories of her parents fighting over some beautiful, long-legged girl. Still, when she was alone, Janet constantly drove herself up a wall imagining the two of them, usually in some sort of undress. When she was among her friends, she participated in their elaborate fake plots on the best way to drive Rory out of town. After all, she could only take the high road for so long, according to Hannah.

"So...what did he say when you told him to leave?" Hannah asks.

Janet blushes. Emily notices. "Don't you dare water down that answer Janet" she demands.

"He put my hand on his...you know..." she feels strangely protective of Eddie's penis all of a sudden.

Pizza Girl covers her ears, shaking her head. "Dude, Eddie's like my brother."

"Ok, you touched his junk and then you still sent him home?" Emily asks, incredulously.

Janet nods.

"Well, wait." Hannah asks. "Was it, you know...uhm...happy?"

Janet and Emily giggle as Pizza Girl flops back on the floor groaning.

"It was happy, very VERY happy" Janet smirks.

"Ok, let me get this straight." Emily starts. "Eddie was here, feeling you up, happy-to use Hannah's word, and you sent him home?!" She reaches over and feels Janet's forehead. "Are you feeling allright?"

"I had to, right?" Janet asks.

"YES!" Pizza Girl yelps, sitting up. "Dude, the thought of Eddie standing there...all...happy...I might be ill."

"You would be the first girl in this town to have that reaction." Janet laughs. "You haven't had sex, until you've had sex with Eddie Latekka."

"Great..." Pizza Girl moans. "Put THAT on a billboard. Welcome To Knights Ridge, Where You Haven't Had Sex Until You've Had Sex With Eddie Latekka."

"Janet, you did the right thing." Hannah's voice is full of reason, she being the only other girl in the room who actually had sex with Eddie. "Eddie would have been the biggest hypocrite if he actually went through with it. " Come to think of it, she thinks, he already is one. She wanted to call Eddie out on the Janet/Rooster thing many times, to remind him of their little lack of judgment years ago, make him admit that it really wasn't much different and get him to cut Janet some slack.

"God" Janet says leaning her head on the back of the couch. "Do you know how hard it was?"

Emily giggles.

"No, not that" Janet realizes the entendre too late. "I wanted to have sex with him so badly."

"Janet." Pizza Girl says, leaning onto the coffee table. "I am going to say this only once, and then we need to change this subject before I throw up the pancakes Phil so lovingly made me this morning. Eddie knows he wants to be with you, he just can't find his way back yet. You know, it's the whole forest for the trees thing he's got going on."

"Well, until Rory's out of his forest, I don't need that firewood."

Hannah and Emily exchange a look.

"Ugh, again, dirty." Pizza Girl laments. "Let's cleanse the air, and open baby gifts."

"Speaking of, where is Miss Maddie this morning?" Hannah asks.

"Eddie came and got her. He took her to the park with the dog." she looks at the three of them, "And before you ask, yes it was awkward."

"Whatever, that boy has it bad. He took the dog too?" Emily asks, biting into her muffin. "Damn Janet, these are good."

"I'm glad you think so, I'm thinking of asking Sully if we can add baked goods to the lunch menu and I could really use your back up."

Emily gives her a thumbs up as she chews a big bite of blueberry muffin. "I'm down for that."

"Fair warning, it's going to be a hard sale. Sully barely started serving proper lunch, and I let him think it was his idea now that it's one of the busiest times of day."

The girls start to unwrap the mounds of gifts, there are more outfits than Madison will be able to wear before she outgrows them, stacks of hand knit blankets from all the old ladies that live on Gelson Street and as Janet opens a card with Sully's familiar writing on the envelope, a small bank book falls in her lap. She reads the card aloud.

"Janet, as you may or may not know, I have always thought of you as the daughter I never had, and I guess that makes Maddie Lou my granddaughter. Once I found out you were pregnant, I opened an account in her name. I made an initial deposit and then matched your tips from every one of your shifts. I want this kid to have everything I had to work so hard for, and I know you and Eddie will give it to her. I am so very proud of you. Love, Sully"

Janet felt the tears pour from her eyes as she opens the bank book. She gasps. Sully started the account with a thousand dollars and then over the course of her pregnancy, had made five deposits a week, reflecting her months of hard work. Janet was speechless, and as she looked up, she realized there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

"I think you have your angle for the baked goods thing." Emily says, lightening the mood in the room.

"OK" Pizza Girl announces. "I saved the best for last." her voice laced with sarcasm. She stands and hands Janet the gift from Rory.

"Well the wrapping screams expensive." Hannah says. "It looks like something Christine would give to Jasper and Kasper."

Janet sets the package on her lap, taking some pleasure as she rips the pretty paper and the bow flies across the room. She lifts the lid off the box and pulls out a beautiful pink dress with a matching cashmere sweater, which she can tell cost Rory a pretty penny. Janet looks at Pizza Girl, who's scrunching her nose in distaste.

"What the hell?" Emily says. "I've been here a month and even I know that you hate the color pink."

Hannah takes the dress from Janet and turns it over, examining it. She begins to laugh.

"What Hannah? It's really pretty."

"Ok, well sure it's pretty, but this thing is for a three month old baby. And no offense, but even when Maddie was three months she had too many rolls to fit into anything this size. Does Rory even know how old your kid is?"

"Or how chubby she is?" Pizza Girl adds.

"Regift?" Emily guesses. "Maybe one of her rich New York friends cast it off?"

Janet stands and starts picking up boxes and wrapping paper. "Come on guys, the thought was there."

"Oh shut up Janet, you know you can't stand her." Hannah challenges.

"Can't stand who?" Eddie questions, coming in the front door with the baby in his arms and the dog on her leash.

"Uh, that new cashier at the grocery store" Pizza Girl offers.

Eddie raises his eyebrows, knowing they were most definitely not talking about Renee.

"M-Lo" Pizza Girl comes over and takes the baby. "You look so cute today"

"What a mess." Eddie says, surveying the room. He feels like the girls are all looking at him, strangely, like they are examining him. He wonders how much Janet told them about last night. He watches as Janet leans over picking up the trash, trying to see if she has on that hot bra from the night before. He can't tell which annoys him. Janet stands back up, catching Eddie's eye. She immediately blushes.

"Ok" Emily stands. "We should go. I have to get ready for my shift and I want to see if my mom needs anything before I start."

The girls head out, Janet thanking them for the help, and the talk. She comes back into the house. Eddie's sitting on the couch with the baby on his lap, watching a basketball game.

"How was the park?"

"Good. We ran into like six hundred old ladies who all wanted to hold her."

"Did she eat?"

Eddie nods. "I even changed her."

"Amazing" Janet laughs. She knows for a fact Eddie pays Phil five bucks a diaper when Maddie's at their house.

"What? I change her."

"Uh-huh" Janet says.

"What's that pink thing over there? On the pile" Eddie spots Rory's gift.

"A dress, from Rory"

"Pink?" Eddie questions. He thought everyone knew of Janet's distaste for the color, she'd practically put in ad out in the Knights Ridge Times professing the fact. He knows he mentioned it to Rory several times when she asked why there weren't any clothes that shade in Mads dresser at his house.

"It's very pretty." Janet says. She's never going to tell Eddie that it's too small. It's going in the closet, and maybe to the Goodwill.

Eddie lets the dress conversation go.

"Janet. Should we talk about last night?"

Janet sits on the couch. "I suppose we should. Eddie, you should know it was really damn hard to send you home last night."

"Not as hard as it was for me." he says, grinning, trying to make a serious conversation lighter. Janet loved him for it.

"Seriously. I would have loved nothing more than to see you naked over me last night."

"So then? What goes on?"

"I can't do that to Rory. Look at how I fucked us up when I..." she can't finish the sentence.

"Janet, we can go round and round about this and frankly I'm so tired of that conversation. I think it's time to start putting all that behind us and move on."

"Move on?"

"Ok, move ahead. Is that better?" she nods. "I think Rory and I are over." he finishes.

"Really?" Janet says, a little too happly. "I mean, really" She attempts a serious reaction.

"Yeah." Eddie's never going to confess he had sex with Rory last night. He knows Janet would never buy the fact he was thinking about her the whole time.

"Well, Eddie. I think we should go slow."

"I was thinking the same thing, although how many people start over with one of these?" He kisses Madison on the head.

"Lots of people Eddie, lots of people" as she touches his hand. 


	14. Chapter 14

Janet was in her tiny bathroom, getting ready for the day. The Rowan's were having a barbeque that afternoon, and this time she was actually on the guest list. As she dries her hair,Janet thinks about how she and Allison have formed somewhat of a tentative bond over the past year. Janet spent many mornings, lingering over coffee in Allison's sunny kitchen as Allison listened to Janet recount her night with Rooster and the fall out that ensued. Allison had offered her valuable advice on how to pick up the pieces of her life after cheating on Eddie. She had told Janet that while it was probable to move past indescretion if there was something left to salvage of the relationship, it was a very hard and very long road. Allison warned her that she was most definitely going to have to endure Eddie telling her things she might not want to hear, and that she should listen, and never retort. She confided to Janet that she had done exactly that with Owen, sat with him and let him tell her exactly how he was feeling. While she didn't neccessarily love hearing what a bitch she was for sleeping with one of his best friends, she knew the words had merit, and she realized not defending, but owning up to her actions eventually allowed Owen to forgive her and move back into the house and their bed.

Janet looks over at Madison sleeping in her bouncy seat and smiles. She cannot imagine her life without her any longer. Leaning her body forward, she flips her hair over to dry the underside. She prays turning the blow dryer back on won't wake the baby.

Eddie comes in through the front door and, hearing the dryer, makes his way to the bedroom. He crouches down to greet a wiggling dog and kiss his sweet little girl softly on her head before standing in the doorway of the bathroom. Janet was bent over finishing her morning routine, no idea he was there. This allowed Eddie to take in her outfit, or lack thereof. She had on some jeans and a bra, nothing else. He zeroed in on the bra. Another new one he'd yet to see, touch, or take off. This one was black and there appeared to be something blue going on too. Turning off the dryer, Janet stood upright throwing her hair back. It was wild, curly, and damn sexy. She was letting it grow out a little longer than usual and Eddie liked the new length. She turned, realizing there was someone else in the room.

"I see Mads takes after her mother." he jokes. "Can sleep through anything." he motions to the hair dryer.

She blushes immediately, "Hey Eddie." She tried to appear casual as she freaked out on the inside. She'd stood in front of him many times wearing only a bra, but her instict was to try and cover her breasts from his gaze.

He smiled wide. God, that smile she thought.

"Nice outfit." There was, in fact, a blue ribbon woven through the straps and cups of the black satin. He desperately wanted to touch the fabric first and then move to her smooth skin.

"I was just getting ready...what are you doing here?"

"I heard you were going over to Owen and Allison's. Thought we could all go together."

"I..." she starts. She wants nothing more. "I kind of have to make a stop at Sully's first, I have a meeting with him."

"Oh? Can it wait?"

"No, actually. It's pretty hard to get Sully alone, and I asked him for the meeting, so it would kind of be bad form for me to cancel on him."

Eddie nods. "Well, if you want, I can take Mads over to the Rowan's and you can meet us there?"

Us, we...it was not going unnoticed that he was using such pronouns. "I'd like that Eddie, a lot."

"Well then I guess, like two years later, it's a Rowan Barbeque do over." He still regrets standing her up that day. Even though it eventually brought them closer, it also indirectly landed Sam in the hospital.

"I guess it is Eddie." She motions for him to move so she can get out of the bathroom, which has become pretty stifling from the heat of her shower, the blow dryer, and his sexy body gracing the door frame.

He barely moves to let her pass, causing her to brush up against his warm body, and puts his arm up to stop her. He breathes in her scent. She smells of lemons, fresh and clean. Eddie always loves it when she uses that shampoo and wishes he'd caught her in the shower. He thinks of her naked, hair wet, soaping up her curvy body. Janet brushes his bare arm with her hand, jerking him back into reality. She looks up into his twinkling brown eyes and winks at him playfully, just like he had done so long ago at Pumpkin Fest. Eddie leans over and very lightly brushes his lips on hers.

"Stay." he whispers, throatily, and she feels his arousal through his jeans, pressing into her.

"Eddie." she groans. "We can't."

"Why?"

"Trust me when I tell you, there's not enough time to do all the things I want to do to you right now." As much as it kills her to do so, she breaks free.

She goes to her bed, stepping over the dog, always Madison's protector, splayed out on the floor. She picks up her shirt off the bed and pulls it over her head. Tugging it down, she notices Eddie frowning.

"What?"

"I liked that shirt better when it was off."

"Ha ha. I don't think I can go to the bar shirtless. What would Sully think?"

"He'd probably give you anything you want." Eddie jokes.

Janet sits on the bed, putting on her socks and favorite pair of boots. "Maddie's been sleeping for awhile now. We went for a walk early this morning and she conked out after I fed her."

"You should have called me, I would have liked to join you."

"Well it was pretty early, and I know you and the boys were hitting it pretty hard last night during your poker game."

"What did Pizza Girl call you already?" The poker game had gone really late and there were many bottles littering the dining room table and floor.

"I called her, I was going to have her come over here and watch Maddie when I went to see Sully." She notices Eddie looks a little irritated. "Hey" she says, causing him to look over at her. "I was trying to let you sleep in, or I woulda called you."

"I want you to call me anytime Mads is concerned."

"From now on I will." She stands as he follows her out of the room.

"So what is this meeting with Sully all about?" Reaching the kitchen, he looks about in amazement. "What the fuck?" There's baked goods all over the counters and table.

"This is for Sully."

"All this? You trying to send him into a sugar coma?"

"No, I am going to try and convince him to add sweets to the menu."

"Whoa. Janet, Sully's is a bar, remember? Wings, burgers, fries. That's been the menu since I started drinking there." He spots chocolate chip cookies, and takes one off the plate, shoving half of it into his mouth. He sighs, "This is really good," not bothering to swallow his huge bite.

"See" she says, playfully. "Wouldn't you like a big, sweet cookie after a burger or some wings?"

"That depends on who's bringing me the cookie." He unabashedly flirts back with her.

"Eddie. I'm serious."

"So am I..." He wiggles his eyebrows and Janet notices a big blob of chocolate on his lip. She would throw a weeks wages on the table to lick it off.

"So you think all this" she waves her hand around the kitchen. "is a mistake?" She looks a little hurt.

Eddie licks his lower lip, catching the chocolate. "I don't know. Go see Sully and see what he says. But you better not try and sell him on any girly curtains or five dollar chick coffee drinks."

Janet's a little defeated. Her excitement over her business proposal, was what fueled her all night baking extravaganza. She thought making pie, brownies and cookies was a little over the top, but she wanted to present Sully with options. She starts packing up a box with the desserts. Eddie peeks under the foil of the two pies.

"No apple?"

"No Eddie. That's your pie. You know that." She knew he'd never be creased at her for making it for the Commander once in awhile.

She pauses by a large platter of cookies and brownies. "Mind taking this over to the Rowans for me?"

"Not at all."

"And Eddie, I want it delivered in tact. No sneaking any on the ride over."

He jokingly frowns as she laughs. She points to a plate on the counter. "That's yours."

"MMM. Now that's what I'm talking about." He grins as he bites into a brownie.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Janet slides into the booth across from Sully, setting a plate of her baked goods in front of him.

"What's all this sweetheart? You finally come to your senses and realize I'm the man for you?"

"Sully," she laughs before beginning the speech she's practiced all night. "I had an idea on how to update the menu."

Sully sinks a bite of chocolate pie into his mouth. "Update it with this?" He points to the sweets with his fork, swallowing.

She nods, holding her breath. She knows how good her baked goods are, it's the one thing she had confidence in her whole life. She has her Grams to thank for that.

Sully puts his fork down without tasting anything else. "Janet, this bar has been in my family for years. My dad ran it and before that,my grandfather. Not once in the history of this place have we ever had a sweet thing on the menu. The menu works as it is. Now, I listened to you when you suggested I open earlier than two to serve lunch, and as much as that works, I don't think we can start selling this here. I run a bar, not a diner. The guys come for wings and burgers with their beer, that's it."

Janet looks crestfallen. She knew it would be a a hard sell, but she thought he would at least think about it before shutting her down.

"Look doll, when this place is yours, you can do what you want with the menu. But for now, we leave it as is."

Janet looks up at Sully, "What did you say?"

"I can think of no one I'd rather leave my bar to Janet. You are the best employee I have ever had, and I know that you will take care of it for me."

"But, Sully..."

"What, you know I got no family to speak of. All those wives and not one damn kid." he shakes his head.

"Sully, I would be honored to run your bar."

"Now don't get all high and mighty yet, missy. I ain't going nowhere for a long time." He grins.

"Thank you Sull" she whispers as she takes hold of his hand.

"Ah...well..." he looks a little embarassed, he's never good at outpouring of emotion. "Hey, don't you have a barbeque to get to?"

"I do."

"Well I suggest you get to it. Don't leave Eddie hanging."

"How do you know Eddie's there?" she asks, getting up from the booth.

He just looks at her, smiles and shakes his head. "Go." he urges. "And hey, leave that plate." 


	15. Chapter 15

Janet parks her Jeep across the street from the Rowan house. The porch and front yard were crowded with people. It was their first party since getting back together and they had invited half the town it seemed. Janet made her way up the front walk dodging Sam and Owen's kids, who were right in the middle of some sort of battle involving tree branches. She waves hello to Emily, Nick and Ikey sitting on the lawn, and giggles a little at Ikey's obvious infatuation with the Dean's daughter. She spotted Hannah on the front porch swing holding Madison.

"Hey Janet." Hannah takes Maddie's hand and waves it, "Hi Mama." Hannah says in her best baby voice.

Janet smiles, she's still trying to let Sully's news sink in.

"How'd you get stuck with baby duty?" she asks, sitting down on the swing next to Hannah.

"Eddie went in to get us a couple of beers. "I, of course, volunteered to keep her with me."

"Where's Ray?" Janet wonders why Hannah's not with him. He never seems to leave her side these days.

"He didn't think it was right to come." Janet looks at her friend, worried. "He knew Eddie would be here." Hannah adds. Janet doesn't say it out loud, but she thinks Ray made a wise decision staying far away. He'd be alone and outnumbered at this party.

"Janet, has Maddie been feeling ok?"

"What do you mean?" Janet asks her, panic in her voice.

"She feels a little hot, and she's been cranky ever since Eddie got here with her."

Janet takes the baby, feeling her forehead. "She is hot." Maddie's fussy too she notices. "Maybe Eddie forgot her bottle"

"No, he fed her." Janet sniffs her bottom as Hannah laughs. "He changed her too, after offering me five bucks to do it."

Maddie genuinely won't be calmed down even by Janet. She looks cross and her nose is running a bit, which Janet tries to wipe with her sleeve.

"She's getting a cold I bet" Hannah says. "Sam used to get them all the time at that age."

Maddie starts wiggling, making a fussy half-cry, half whine. "Maddie, it's ok." Janet says in a soothing voice, rubbing her back. Maddie wants no comfort and arches back in Janet's arms.

Eddie comes out on the porch with beer as Maddie starts in on a soft sort of pathetic cry. She looks up at him, "Da" she says, whimpering, and making grabbing motions with her fist.

Eddie hands Hannah her beer and gives Janet his. He scoops the baby up from Janet's arms. "What's up Mads? You look so serious."

Janet looks at Hannah then back at Eddie. "Dude, did you hear that?"

"Yeah, she is seriously one pissed off kid right now."

"Eddie, she said 'Da'."

"She babbles all the time."

"No" Hannah agrees. "You came out here, and she said 'Da' while reaching for you."

"Her first word." Janet gushes.

"Oh yeah? I knew this kid was a genius..." he says, holding up Mads, her face in his. "Hey Miss Cranky Pants, what goes on with all this crying?"

"Eddie, she feels really hot." Eddie looks concerned as he feels her forehead and cheeks.

"She does. Maybe we should take her inside?"

Janet follows Eddie into the house. Maddie is still fidgety but rubbing her eyes, which is a sure sign that she is ready for her afternoon nap.

"Hey Janet, what goes on?" Owen gives her a big, warm bear hug.

"Hi Owen" Of all Eddie's friends, she likes Owen the best. He was always nice to her, even in high school, but she never really got to know him until she started working at Sully's. She's glad he's remained sweet even after hearing all the crap about Rooster.

"Hey O? Think we can put Mads down upstairs somewhere?" Eddie asks.

"Sure thing buddy, follow me."

"Shit, I forgot her bouncy thingie, you know to sleep in." Eddie sees it clearly, still on the floor in Janet's room where he left it.

"Come on." Owen starts up the stairs. "You know when Kaitlyn was born, we didn't have the money for all those fancy sleeping things. So Allison and I devised this plan."

Owen takes them into the master bedroom and takes the baby from Eddie. "Hi there, you cute little thing. Grab a couple pillows Eddie and kind of make a barrier, like a fort." As Eddie positions the pillows, Owen walks Maddie around the room, singing some goofy song to her. Eddie shakes his head as he looks up.

"What? I MISS having a baby. They grow up so fast. This was always my favorite part."

"Did you two ever think you would be having this conversation?" Janet teases.

Eddie says "No." at the same time Owen says "Yes." They look at each other and laugh.

"I have always had big plans for my man Latekka over there." he tells Janet. "I've been waiting years for him to pull his head out of his dumb ass." He sets a very sleepy Madison in between the pillows on the bed. "There, she's not going to roll off for nothing."

"You two go." Janet says. "I am going to wait until she falls asleep." Janet's not keen on leaving her upstairs and going back down to a rowdy party, one at which she won't be able to hear Maddie if she wakes up.

As Owen starts to leave, Eddie motions to the bed to let him know he's going to stay with Janet. Owen leans in.

"Dude, do NOT have sex in my bed" he whispers.

"Get out of here." Eddie laughs and pushes Owen out of the room.

Eddie turns back around. Janet has taken off her shoes, so she won't get Allison and Owen's quilt dirty and she's curled up next to Madison, her head propped up by her hand.

Eddie sits on the other side of the baby, swinging his legs up. He leans back on the huge pile of pillows still left at the top of the bed. "I think Allison Rowan has more pillows on her bed than you do."

"Eddie. Your shoes..." Eddie's shoes are all perpetually covered in dust and grime. Rolling his eyes, he slips them off, letting them thud onto the wood floor. "Shhhh"" Janet warns, feeling the baby's forehead again. She smiles when she sees that Eddie's wearing two white socks with different colored toes. He notices her gaze.

"I had no clean laundry." he says, as sort of an apology. Truth is, he hates doing laundry and only washes clothes when he runs out.

"She's still pretty hot." Janet says. "I wonder if we should call Diana."

"Who?"

"Diana, the nurse from the hospital."

"Oh. You have her number?"

"I have called her more times than I want to admit with the stupidest questions."

"Well, let her sleep a bit, then we can call if we need to. Hey, how was your meeting with Sul?" Eddie stretches his arms above his head, enjoying the afternoon sun warming the room.

Janet shakes her head. "Not what I expected at all."

"Denied huh?"

She nods.

"That's my boy Sull. I knew..." Eddie never finishes his thought when he sees the look on Janet's face. "Hey, I'm sorry...I wasn't..."

"No, it's ok Eddie. It actually turned out ok."

"How so?"

"OK, and this stays between you and me?"

"Of course." Eddie Latekka generally hates secrets, but he prides himself on how well he keeps things in his vault.

"Sully wants to leave me the bar."

Eddie looks at Janet with widened eyes. "Seriously?"

"Mmmhmmm. Can you believe that?"

"Actually? Yeah I can. Sully loves you. He's been going on for years about how great you are."

"So how come it took you so long to figure it out." Janet says this purely as a joke. She's not expecting Eddie to look serious.

"I've known it forever too, Janet. I was just too much of a tool to figure out what to do with it."

"What do you mean?"

"I knew a long time before I asked you out that I wanted to be with you. All those other girls I dated? Not one of them cared for me like you do. None of them would have sat by and watched me take off with girl after girl, night after night and still remained my friend."

"Dude," she laughs. "That was seriously hard."

"I know." He leans over the pillows between them and kisses her forehead, making Janet laugh.

"What's so funny?" He rests back on the pillows.

"Remember that time you took me to Hugo's?"

"Our first date." he nods.

"I was asking Hannah how on earth I would know if what we were going on was a date, or just two friends having dinner together, and she told me I'd know by the good night kiss. If it was on the forehead, it most certainly was not a date."

Eddie thinks back. He did kiss her on the forehead. He was trying to be sweet.

"So imagine how crushed I was getting out of your truck that night. As soon as you pulled away from the curb, I drove as fast as I could to Hannah's and we analyzed the entire thing for hours."

"Good thing I didn't come back," he grins. "I almost did I'll have you know."

"Really?"

"Yup, to give you a proper kiss goodnight. I kicked myself all night for that one."

Janet's stunned. She was sure that she had blown the entire evening when she accused him at the restaurant of being embarassed to be seen with her.

"Come here." Eddie whispers, patting the pillows. She creeps up and meets him. His hand touches her cheek and moves to the back of her neck, lazily. He moves in closer to her, looking into her blue eyes, and kisses her softly on her lips, then proceeds to give her the hottest kiss she's ever recieved in her entire life.

"Now THAT'S what I should have done." He whispers, taking her into his arms.

Janet wishes they could stay cuddled up like that forever. Although, she's pretty sure Allison and Owen would want to reclaim their bed at some point. She closes her eyes, and strokes the soft hairs on Eddie's arm. "Maybe we should take a nap too." But when she looks up, Eddie's already sleeping. 


	16. Chapter 16

The sun shining brightly into Janet's room is what wakes her. It hits her face first, forcing her eyes open. She squints a bit as she sits up in her bed. Her room is a mess. She untangles herself from her sheets, noticing the comforter cast on the floor. She bends over to pick it up and steps on Eddie's clunky work boot. Eddie's boot. Eddie stayed the night, she remembers. He's not in her room, but they shared a rough night, not exactly the night she had envisioned spending with Eddie. Madison's runny nose went from bad to worse, and forced them to leave the Rowan's party an hour after Janet arrived. Allison sweetly packed dinner, chicken a la Owen from the grill, some pasta salad, corn on the cob and two slices of Allison's freshly baked chocolate cake. Handing the basket to Janet, Allison confessed she'd tucked in some lotion she used on her kids when they got colds. Janet thanked her profusely and promised to call her later in the week for a coffee date.

She looked at herself in the mirror. She looked worse than she thought. Her hair, previously piled up on top of her head, was now half up and half down. The neckline of her shirt was stretched out from where Madison had grabbed at it during one of her crying fits sometime during the middle of the night. There was an unidentified stain on the front of her pajama pants, probably some remnant from the dinner she and Eddie had scarfed down around 11. She remembered how tired he looked then. She had told him to go home to get some rest since he had mentioned going into work to start the paperwork for a big job he and Nick had landed. He had sat back in his chair, pushing his dinner plate away, shaking his head.

"I'm not going anywhere." Janet was too tired to argue with him.

"You should actually eat that food, instead of moving it around the plate." Eddie suggested.

"I'm not hungry." she replied flatly.

"Janet, you were starving fifteen minutes ago."

"How did I let her get sick?" she whispers.

"What?" Eddie drinks from his glass of milk.

"Did I not dress her warm enough? Did I leave the window open in her room...?"

"Janet, stop" Eddie said, grabbing her hand. "Babies get sick sometimes. You heard what Diana said."

Diana had stopped by earlier to check on Madison after Janet called her. She was able to calm Maddie down a bit as she checked her out and took her temperature. She assured both parents that it was a run of the mill cold, but that they should be prepared for a sleepless night. Janet dragged the humidifier out of Maddie's closet, and Diana showed her how to fill and use it. Hours later after a warm herbal bath and Allison's magic lotion rubbed into her chest, Janet had finally coaxed Maddie to sleep, which is when she realized how hungry she was, landing them in the kitchen to rewarm Allison's meal. Janet started to eat her chicken as Eddie reached behind his head for the plate of brownies and cookies Janet had set aside for him earlier. He offered her the plate, but she shook her head.

"More for me." he said, taking a huge bite out of a brownie which made Janet smile. She loved watching Eddie eat. He always did it with such gusto, like the food set in front of him was the last meal he might eat for awhile.

"She's going to be fine." he says, swallowing his dessert. "God these are as good as your cookies. Maybe Sully was wrong..."

Janet knows Eddie's just trying to make her feel better, to forget for a few minutes that her poor baby is barely sleeping in the other room, so sick.

"Eddie why don't you get some sleep?" she tries, as he goes in the living room and turns on the TV to watch the late news.

"I could tell you the same thing."

"Ok, how about a deal. We can take shifts. When you shut the door to my room, it's pretty quiet in there."

Her room, not a problem, Eddie had been in there many times since Janet's night with Rooster. Her bed, however, was a different story. Part of the reason he was glad they were holding off, taking things so slowly was because he wasn't ready to get back in that bed with Janet. He was all for having sex with her, he missed having sex with her, but he imagined many places they could do it before working their way to the bed. He desperately missed that bed however, it was roomy enough to allow them to sleep apart during the night, but not so big that they couldn't inch over and cuddle when they wanted to. The mattress was the right firmness, and was missing the annoying dip that Eddie's small bed at home had. He may have teased Janet mercilessly about the number of pillows she insisted on having, but he'd never slept better than when he was at Janet's, and only a fool would think that only had to do with the bed.

"Ok, you got a deal. Now get in there and rest." he grinned.

"Fine, but wake me in an hour if I'm not up."

He watched her shuffle off to the bedroom, thinking she was at her most beautiful even when she was bare faced, in her grubby clothes and exhausted.

Janet snaps back to reality, glancing at the clock. It was 8:30, Eddie had let her sleep for three hours. She opens her door and peeks out into the living room, which is as messy as the bedroom. She would have avoided the kitchen with it's dirty dishes but she wanted coffee badly. She measures out the grinds, and adds water to the coffee maker. Pressing the on button, she makes her way to the nursery. Eddie is asleep on the floor, wearing only his jeans, with Madison sleeping square on his chest. The dog is curled up next to him, her head on his stomach.

"Do I smell coffee?" Eddie says, his voice hoarse, his eyes still shut.

"You do." she replies. "How is she?" Janet kneels down next to Eddie on the floor and feels Madison's head.

"Much better. She's been asleep for awhile now. I think we kicked this cold's ass baby."

Eddie hardly ever calls her baby, certainly not lately. She realizes how much she misses it. She freezes the simple sentence in her mind, a delicious snapshot she plans to revisit many times.

Madison stirs once she feels Eddie moving slowly. "Man, my arm is asleep something fierce."

Maddie lifts her head up, blinking her eyes, unsure of her surroundings. She smiles shyly when she sees Janet beaming at her.

"Hey baby girl" Janet says softly. "Do you feel better?" She lifts Maddie from Eddie's chest as he sits up. "God she's like a totally different kid."

Eddie shakes his arm in an attempt to wake up the limb. "Coffee," he moans, running his hand through his messy hair. "I need coffee."

"Come on Maddie, let's get Daddy his coffee and feed you."

Janet feels Eddie grab her arm. "One second, Janet." He pulls her closer and kisses her.

"What was that for?" she smiles.

"For last night" he grins back at her.

"Did we have the same night Eddie?" she laughs, confused.

"I miss just being with you. And if this is the only way I get to spend the night with you, I'll take it. How many times were we laughing last night despite dealing with a sick kid?" Eddie always knew the woman that would keep his heart would make him laugh like an idiot and not care so much about the shit life gives.

"I'm glad you stayed even when I tried to send you home."

Eddie stands, stretching his back. "I remember now why I don't sleep on the floor anymore. The old body's not what it used to be."

"The old body looks pretty good to me." Janet says shyly.

How is it possible, Eddie thinks, that I can be this exhausted and my dick can still get up and at em from her voice? "Coffee" he says, pulling Janet up from her knees.

In the kitchen, Janet clears the table as Eddie lets the dog out. She hands Eddie a warm bottle and fixes his coffee the way he likes it with some milk and sugar before pouring herself a cup.

"Thanks." Eddie says as she hands him his mug, sitting down at the table with him. "I don't think I have ever seen your place such a wreck before."

"God, I know, I can't wait to start cleaning." she says as Eddie looks at her.

"What?"

"Cleaning? That's really what you are going to do today?"

"You know I can't stand a mess." Janet chews on half a chocolate chip cookie, which is all that's left. "You ate the entire plate?" she asks him.

He nods. "Over the course of the night. You know Janet, just because Sully doesn't want to sell your desserts, you shouldn't give that up if that's what you really want to do."

"Huh?"

"I mean, find another way to sell them, go see Doris at the bakery or something."

"Eddie, I can't leave Sully."

"That's not what I'm saying, but don't you owe it to yourself to see if the baking thing works for you?"

Janet shrugs her shoulders, but the wheels were turning in her brain.

"So what goes on with you today?"

"Cleaning, sleeping, maybe a walk later if Maddie's feeling up to it."

"It's all you can eat pancakes at the diner you know."

She nods. "I remember." They tucked away many pancakes on Sunday mornings when they were together. It was their ritual on Sundays. Pancakes which they always ended up working off in bed after.

"Shall we?" he asks as she glances at Maddie. "She's fine, and I'm starving. What do you say?"

"Sure Eddie, just let me get ready." Although she could have sat for hours looking at him without his shirt on imagining his lips on hers tasting like pancake syrup.

"Don't take forever either, I'm a hungry man." 


	17. Chapter 17

Janet pushes Madison in her stroller on her way to Best Friend Windows. It was mid December, and she was almost giddy walking through the snow, which had started an hour ago. Christmas was only two weeks away, and she wants to get in some last minute shopping today. She was on her way to try and persuade Eddie to let her borrow his truck so she could go pick out a tree. Christmas had always been her favorite holiday, and she hated that last year she'd been pregnant and alone. This year she planned on going all out with a huge tree, decorations everywhere, tons of presents for Maddie, and she was hosting Christmas Eve dinner at her house for a change. She had been working overtime as much as possible for extra cash, and had been storing presents in her closet in the hall since the day after Thanksgiving, when she, Hannah, Pizza Girl and Emily had braved the psychotic shoppers and spent the day loading the back of Hannah's Volvo with gifts. She pulls open the door to the shop and struggles to get the stroller through.

"Hey Janet." Nick hops up to guide the front of the stroller. "It's snowing, finally."

"I'm so excited!" She pushes the hood of her hat down.

"For snow? It's gonna be a big mess out there in a few."

"But it makes the town so pretty Nick." her eyes sparkle. "It's just not Christmas in The Ridge without snow."

Nick just laughs as he shakes his head. "Eddie's in back, he'll be right out."

Janet unbuttons her coat and sits at Eddie's desk as she waits for his return. She recalls the very last time she was here, Nick had been out and she'd called to Eddie.

"I'm in back here, one sec."

She followed his voice to the back room where he was putting a box on a high shelf. His favorite blue sweatshirt, washed so many times over the years, was too short for his lanky frame, and as he reached his hands above his head, Janet got a good look at his sexy stomach. She crazy missed kissing him on that part of his body, remembering how aroused he always got when she licked him there. A few months prior, when Eddie Latekka told her he wanted to take things slow, she had been relieved he'd wanted to start anything again at all. His version of slow, however, was ridiculous, much more like pause. Janet was sure if she opened her dictionary to the page on which the word slow was defined, there would be a picture of the two of them taunting her.

"Hey you." he had said.

"Hi. I just came by to drop off Maddie. I'm pulling a few extra hours for Sull tonight. I know you expected her later."

"Sure, no problem, I can cut out early, once Nicky gets back from the post office." Eddie decided to use Janet to his advantage, so he didn't have to climb down off the step stool. "Hey, hand me that box over there?" he asked as he pointed to the corner.

Janet picked up the long thin box, barely. "What's in here? It's heavier than it looks."

"Glass." Handing it to him carefully, she was impressed with the ease in which he grabbed the box from her, sliding it on the shelf directly on top of the last box. She had moved closer to him, and stared at his stomach which was right at her eye level. Once she saw the box was safetly out of his hands, she placed her hand softly on the bare flesh above his jeans. His body was warm and his stomach spasmed, not expecting her touch. She was sure he was going to stop her, but her urge to touch him far outweighed the humiliation of denial.

"Bold move, Meadows." She looked up at him. He smiled at her as he winked. He stepped off the stool and grabbed her. He wasted no time, leaning in for a kiss. His lips were hard on hers and he opened his mouth immediately, pushing hers open with his tongue. As their kiss deepened, he pulled her closer, rubbing her back. She curled her arms around his waist, pushing his shirt up in back, and ran her thumbs over the dimples in his lower back, her favorite part of his body. She heard him moan without breaking their kiss, and he gently grabbed the hair at the nape of her neck.

"Eddie," she whispered, breaking free from his embrace.

"Shhhh." he kissed her cheek, and her neck, sucking gently on the soft flesh.

"Eddie..."

"Shut up will you? " He whispered, jokingly, as he trailed his tongue over her collarbone, inching lower towards the valley between her breasts. His fingers found her erect left nipple and he pinched it slightly, remembering exactly what made her weak. "Mmm, so hard. I miss sucking them." he groaned.

She gave in, licked his earlobe, nibbling it gently. "Not the only thing hard in this room." she whispered in his ear as she brazenly ran her hand over the front of his jeans.

His eyes pleaded as he nodded. "Do it." he begged.

"Hello?" Nick yelled as the front door bell jingled, a notice that round one was over.

"Fuck!" Eddie tilted his head back, exasperated. "Garrett always has perfect timing." he added through clenched teeth.

Nick stood in the doorway of the supply room. Immediately, he knew what had been going on.

"You two should be ashamed of yourselves. There are children present." he joked, turning around Madison's stroller.

Janet laughed, knowing that Madison was fast asleep. "She's dead to the world Nick." She remembered a time when she would have been humiliated to have been caught in such a comprimising position, but not now, and never with Eddie.

Eddie comes out from the backroom.

"Hey guys. What goes on?"

"Ask her." Nick says, pointing at Janet. "I was talking to her for a full five minutes before I realized she wasn't listening."

"Only five minutes? Your time's improving Nick." Eddie jokes.

"What brings you by? Although, you never have to have a reason when your pushing this one in here." Eddie picks Mads up from her stroller. "God Janet, you think you have enough clothing on her?"

Janet had dressed Madison for the cold. She was wearing jeans and the cutest little flannel shirt Emily had given her. Over her outfit she'd put on a cardigan sweater, a jacket, a hat, gloves, and thick socks with her baby sneakers. She shrugged at Eddie. "Better safe than sorry."

"I guess..."

"So Eddie. I was hoping you'd let me borrow your truck for the afternoon."

"Why, something wrong with your Jeep?"

"No, I want to go and get a tree today and it's not going to fit."

"A tree huh?" He takes off Maddie's jacket.

"Dude." Nick laughs once he sees her outfit. "She looks like Mini Me in that outfit." Eddie grins at the green and red flannel on Mads.

"I didn't have a tree last year..." Janet starts.

"I know." Eddie says, not looking at her. He knows Christmas is Janet's favorite time of year. He remembers Sully's holiday party four, maybe, five years back. Sully let Janet and Karen convince him to throw a holiday bash for his most loyal patrons, even allowed them to decorate the bar all girly with boughs of holly or some crap. Owen had dressed up like Santa, and sang Christmas karaoke off key all night. Janet had made all the appetizers that night and whipped up her famous egg nog, which she'd laced wth extra rum. One cup seemed to knock everyone in the bar on their asses, and after downing two, rather quickly, Eddie remembered wanting to push Janet under the misteltoe and kiss her. His feelings had surprised him that night, he'd never admitted them to himself before, and he'd chalked them up to her wicked egg nog. He ended up going home with some insipid blonde from the Douf that night, wishing she were Janet, and had passed out on her the second they got back to his room. The next morning, he'd called Janet early and said only three words,"Fucking egg nog", before hanging up the phone and pulling the covers over his head. He never explained that he had been referring to the lack of activity with her, not the lack of activity with the blonde. From then on, every year at the Christmas Bash, it was their standing joke, Janet even wrote it on the Specials board one year.

"Anyhow, I plan on getting the tree home and in the stand, and then I can return your truck."

"You are going to let her drive your truck? Nick asks, amazed, no one drives Eddie's truck but Eddie.

"Nope." Eddie shakes his head.

"Eddie, come on...please?" Janet pleads.  
"No one drives my truck but me."

"I know, but I thought you'd make an exception, just this once?"

Still shaking his head, "Uh-uh...I will however drive you to the lot and help you get the tree in your house."

An afternoon in the snow with Eddie, picking out a tree. If it wasn't so cold, she would have melted right there.

"I guess that will work." she smirks.

"Nicky, you care if I cut out early today?" Eddie rarely leaves early, in fact he's been putting in extra hours now that Nick has to spend so much time at home with the Commander.

"Nope, have fun. Get a good tree."

Nick looks out the window as Eddie turns on his truck to warm up the cab. He helps Janet fold the stroller and put it in the back seat as she locks Madison into her car seat. He realizes for the first time that Eddie looks happy again.

Three hours later, Eddie's not so happy. He's pulled into the parking lot of the fourth tree lot. It was rapidly getting dark and the snow was coming down harder.

"If you don't find a tree here Janet, you aren't getting one tonight." he says, putting his foot down. He once again unloads Mads stroller from the back of the truck, and lifts her sleeping, bundled body from the car seat.

They wander around the lot, looking at trees that look exactly like all the trees they'd seen at the previous three lots. Janet systematically turned down every tree he'd picked for being too short, not full enough or full of holes.

She stopped at the largest tree on the lot. It had to be at least eight feet tall Eddie guessed. "You cannot be serious."

She nods, simling. "It's perfect. Look at it Eddie..."

"That's never going to fit in your house."

"It will, the corner in my living room vaults up. It will be perfect."

"Yeah after rearranging all the damn furniture in there."

"Please?" Eddie shakes his head, but he flags down the lot worker to help him drag the huge Noble Fir to his truck as Janet pays.

Getting in the truck, he says. "I don't even want to know how much that fucking tree cost."

"No, you don't" she agrees. "Worth every penny." She grins.

It's late by the time they get to Janet's house. He's missed the hockey game he'd planned on watching with Phil, and he's starving. Janet feeds the baby and heats up some tomato soup as Eddie eats handfuls of pretzels until his dinner's warm. She sets the bowl down in front of him and goes to change the baby and get her in her crib. She's energized and can't wait to get started on the tree.

As Eddie eats his soup, he walks around, amazed at all the decorations Janet's already put out. He notices for the first time that evening the mantel. She has placed a stocking there for her, the baby, the dog, and there's a fourth one for him up there too. It has a stupid grinning snowman on the front, which makes him rolls his eyes. He's happy it's there.

"Oh, "Janet says, returning to the room. "I hope you don't mind that I got you a stocking...I just thought..."

"They didn't have any without a gay looking snowman on the front?" He winks and she's glad she bought the stocking.

After Eddie finishes his soup, they haul the tree in the house and hoist it into the stand. Eddie spends fifteen minutes adjusting the stand to Janet's specifications. He's ready for a shower and bed and grabs his jacket and keys.

"Ok, I'm out Janet" She's in the hall closet, pulling down a box. He stands behind her and helps her. "What is this?"

"Lights."

"Really? Tonight?"

"Eddie, go. I can do this part myself. I know you're tired and I really appreciate you taking me all over town today."

"You can't put those on the tree by yourself."

"Sure I can."

"Janet, even on that chair, you aren't going to be able to reach the top of the tree, and unless things have changed drastically, you still don't have a ladder."

Eddie was right, she always meant to pick one up at the hardware store, but shoes were much more fun to shop for. She watches as Eddie puts his coat on the couch and stands on the chair. "Hand me the lights."

At one thirty in the morning, Eddie sinks onto Janet's couch. He'd stayed and helped her with the lights and six seemingly never ending boxes of ornaments. The star at the top of the tree was the last thing to go on, and he sat back to admire their hard work.

"One more thing Eddie."

"Ugh, woman...I am not putting one more fucking thing on that damn tree."

"No" she says, switching off the light in the room. She sits next to Eddie. "This is my favorite part. Turning out all the lights except the ones on the tree." she looks at him. "It's really the best tree I've ever had."

Eddie fumbles in his jacket pocket and brings out a flat box. "I was going to give this to you on Christmas morning, but I think now is the perfect time." He hands the box to Janet.

"Eddie..." He knows she hates getting presents early.

"Just open it."

She slides the bow from the box and opens the lid. Inside on a cloud of sparkly cotton is her charm bracelet, polished and bright. She lifts it from the box and looks at Eddie.

"I had it cleaned up, it was all tarnished from being in the back of your jewelry box for so long." He smiles sweetly. "Look closer," he whispers.

Janet holds the bracelet up, and notices a charm, the same shape as the one with her initials, but much smaller. When she turns it over, she sees the engraved initials MLL.

"Oh Eddie." she says, her eyes, thick with tears. "It's beautiful. I love it."

"I missed seeing this on your wrist and I don't want you to ever take it off again." he undoes the clasp and fastens it to her arm. "There. Now Mads can be with you wherever you are."

"Eddie? I love you." she says, softly, not sure if it's the tree's twinkling lights, the return of her bracelet or the late hour inspiring her bravery.

"I love you, Janet"

Holding hands, no longer caring that they are exhausted, they sit and stare at the tree, and talk until the sun comes up. 


	18. Chapter 18

"OK, Janet? Explain something to me?" Hannah asks, turning off the mixer. Janet peers in the bowl.

"It's buttercream frosting Hannah, it takes a little more mixing to get it perfect. Patience makes perfect, remember?"

"No, not that...How can you still be so calm around Eddie when, you know..."

"No, what?"

"Janet, did he not tell you he loved you in December?"

"Yes..." Janet trails off, motioning for Hannah to start the Kitchen Aid again.

"And you two are still not sleeping together?"

"Right, we're taking it slow."

"It's May, Janet. Come on, slow?" she laughs heartily.

"Dude, you don't have to tell me. I think my Born Again Virgin paperwork came in the mail yesterday" Janet pulls out the last tray of cupcakes from the oven and sets them on the counter. "It's not like we haven't you know...messed around. We just keep getting interrupted, by the baby, by Nick...then, you know, it's done before it got going. "

"Maybe he's nervous...wait..." Hannah says. "Nick interrupted you where?"

Janet blushes. "Uhm, the stock room at their shop."

"Janet!"

"I know, not my finest moment, or maybe it was..." she wiggles her eyebrows.

"See, you just need Eddie alone and then you need to take it to the mat, you know work that Meadows Magic."

"Meadows Magic?" she arches her brow. "Mix the damn frosting Hannah." but Janet laughs along with her.

Hannah and Janet are putting the final touches on what promises to be the biggest damn birthday party for a one year old. What started as a simple get together at 32 Gelson had quickly transformed into an enormous celebration. Janet, Hannah, Emily and Pizza Girl had been cooking and running around for decorations for three days now. The front yard had metamorphosed into a child's wonderland. Pizza Girl was enlisted to paint faces and Plumpy the Clown had been confirmed to make an appearance now that Carter and Karen Bump had returned from their honeymoon. They had a huge, extravagant wedding and Carter had paid for and succumbed to every little thing Karen had wanted, with only one provided stipulation. She had to promise their first dance would be to "Paradise By The Dashboard Light". Janet had made their cake, and already had three people stop into Sully's and ask if she was in business.

Pizza Girl comes in the back door at Hannah's. "You aren't going to believe this one." she looks at Janet, who raises an eyebrow to bite.

"Right now, Eddie and Phil are watching two men set up a huge inflatable giraffe in the front yard. One of those jumpy things for the kids."

Janet shakes her head as Hannah laughs. "So much for understated."

The next morning, Janet woke up kicking her covers off. Her room was stifling hot, even with the windows wide open and the blinds drawn. She smelled like frosting and she still had purple food coloring under her fingernails. She made her way to Maddie's room, only to find her standing up in her crib, her hair sweaty and stuck to her head, with a very pouty lower lip.

"I know baby girl, it's hot huh? Janet takes Maddie to the bathroom, stepping over the panting dog and turns on the air conditioner on her way to the bathroom. She runs a cool bath for the baby as she feels the air slowly kick on. She switches on the radio and is immediately greeted by a DJ announcing that Knight's Ridge was going to see a record hot day. "Great," Janet grumbles as she sets Madison in her bath seat and lets her splash happily as she bathes her. She hears the front door open and Eddie greet the dog. She thinks he might possibly love that dog as much as he loves her.

"Man it's fuc..." Eddie stops his sentence when he reaches the bathroom door and realizes Mads is in the tub. "It's hot out there already." he finishes.

"That was almost 20 bucks for the jar." Janet cracks. She and Eddie realize they curse far too much, and now that Maddie's vocabulary has expanded to "Da" "Ma" "Dog" and "Sam", they don't want her graduating to any four letter words of the vulgar variety. They each put a jar, on the kitchen counter at their respective houses and anytime a curse word slipped out when Maddie was around, cash went in. The jar at Eddie's was stuffed with bills from Ikey alone. Janet thinks they might possibly be able to pay for Maddie's college with the quickly accumulating cash.

"Ready for the big day?"

"I am. I just need to finish her bath, and get myself ready." Janet had made sure all the food was delivered to Eddie and Phil late last night. Emily had dropped off all the cupcakes, frosted to perfection, at eleven, warning the boys to keep their hands off, that she'd be back in the morning to make sure they were still all accounted for. That didn't stop them from each scarfing two apiece as soon as they heard her car leave the driveway.

"Let me finish her bath." Eddie says, "Go get pretty." he nudges her leg with his sneaker.

"Oh, because I'm not pretty in this get up?" she laughs as she stands. She knows she's a sweaty mess in her tank top and pajama bottoms. He, on the other hand, looks very fine in a black t-shirt and baggy jeans, black sneakers in place of his usual work boots. She resists the urge to kiss him as she walks towards her room.

"I think Mommy looks great just like that." Eddie says, taking Janet's place by the tub. "What do you think Mads?" She replies by splashing Eddie with water.

Janet emerges from her room an hour later, showered and dressed for the day. Janet had gone shopping with Emily last week, and she talked Janet into buying a simple denim knee length skirt and white v-neck t-shirt. Janet had insisted she wasn't a skirt type of girl, but Emily had assured her the outfit was "sexy and understated". She had made her buy new shoes too, complaining that Janet couldn't possibly wear boots with her new outfit. Janet had to admit Emily was right as she slipped the flats on her feet. She fastens her charm bracelet to her wrist as she walks into the living room.

Eddie whistles as Janet comes out of the bedroom which makes her blush. She wonders if she's ever going to STOP blushing when Eddie looks at her favorably.

"I'm impressed Latekka," nodding to Mads who's playing on the floor. He's dressed her in the impossibly cute sundress Janet bought on her shopping trip.

"I figured. Ready?"

Janet puts the baby in her car seat as Eddie opens the truck gate for the dog. They arrive at the party which has started without them. Owen's kids are already in the jump house with Sam, and the smell of hamburgers grilling greets their nostrils. Plumpy's in full costume, and however hot he may be, he's happily making matching swords for Jasper and Casper. He waves to Eddie and Janet and honks his horn.

Several hours into the party, a long black car pulls up to the curb. Janet shakes her head as Rory emerges from the passenger seat. Janet immediately feels sweaty and sloppy as she takes in Rory's dress. It's soft pink, trapeze style with a high neck and spaghetti straps. The kind of dress that only works on a thin, beautiful girl. She's tanner and blonder than Janet remembers.

"Dude." Hannah comes up behind her. "What the fuck is she doing here?"

"I don't know. Maybe Eddie invited her?" Janet's more than pissed. Her face is flushed, only partially from the heat.

Eddie notices Rory walking up, and Janet notices Eddie's gaze linger a bit longer than it should.

"Hey Eddie." Rory holds her thin, tapered finger out to Madison who grabs it with her chubby hand.

"Really Rory?"

"Calm down, I just brought a gift by for the baby. I'm not here to make waves." She kisses Eddie on the cheek. "Well, maybe a little," she laughs as she waves at Janet, giggling. Janet returns a smile that the friends surrounding her recognize as fake, the smile she pastes on when dealing with unpleasant drunk bastards at Sully's. "I see it's girl power as usual around here." Rory continues, smirking.

Eddie shrugs, "Rory. What the hell are you trying to do?"

"Relax. I was kidding."

Eddie feels his shoulders drop, slightly relieved. She looks hot in that dress, he thinks. He's still allowed to admire, gawk a little, he tells himself.

"We just came by to wish Maddie a happy birthday on our way back to New York."

"We?" Eddie squints towards the car.

"Yes. Stratton and I are on our way back to the city right now."

"Stratton?" he questions.

"Nick's agent."

"I know who Stratton is. Since when are you two an item?"

"Awhile now. Jealous?" She strokes Maddie's cheek as she coos at her. "Or should I say, creased?" she mimics the Ridge lingo, which she never uses anymore.

"Not at all." Stratton? How the hell had the two of them hooked up?

"Why?" Emily starts. "Why is she here?"

Pizza Girl comes out of the house with her drink. "The Wicked Stepmother is pregnant?"

Hannah, Janet and Emily look at Pizza Girl then at Rory, who's laughing at something Eddie is saying.

"Oh my god," Hannah says, "she is..." the dress had hidden Rory's fuller stomach when she first walked up, but from a different angle, there was no mistaking she was with child.

Janet feels her heart beat faster. Why is Eddie laughing with her?

Eddie comes towards the porch, "Again, I did not invite her ladies..." he says to all the girls on the porch, heading in the house. Janet follows.

"Janet, I haven't seen her in months."

Janet nods, "I know, why is she here?" she resists the urge to scream this comment.

"She wanted to give Mads a gift, that's all. She's on her way out of town."

"Eddie, how far along is she?"

"What are you talking about?" he asks as he reaches in the fridge for a bottle of water.

"She's totally pregnant."

No she's not." But as he goes back out the front door, he now can tell that Rory is most definately pregnant, and far along. His face turns white. He manages to maintains composure as he goes back down the steps and hands her the bottle of water.

"Is there something you want to tell me Rory?" he spits out, taking the baby back from her.

"No, why?"

He points at her stomach as she laughs. "You think this is your doing?" she laughs harder as Stratton strides across the lawn.

"Hey Latekka!" he booms, shaking his hand. "Where's my man, Garrett?"

"He's around here somewhere," Eddie mumbles.

"I'm going to go find him, then we gotta get out of the Ridge baby" He kisses Rory's hand lovingly, as Eddie notices the huge rock gracing her ring finger, and strides off. "Hey, Hannah Banana...and Pizza Longstocking, how you doing?" he waves at them before finding Nick slapping him on the back as a greeting.

"Dude, Rory and Stratton?" Pizza Girl asks.

Janet is still a little keyed up. She's not sure what goes on with Rory and Eddie.

"Wanna fill me in here Rory?"

"I'm pregnant, he's the dad." She says simply.

"How far along?"

"Look Eddie. I started seeing him when you started hanging out with Janet and the baby more than you were hanging out with me. He drove me back to the city one night and we realized there was something there, something you and I could never have again."

"Before we broke up?"

"Were we dating? "

"Obviously not," he says bitterly.

"Come on Eddie. You would have put on three condoms before you had sex with me if you could have. "

Eddie knows she's right. He spent several nights with Rory but while they had scratched his itch, they didn't make him stop missing Janet. He knew the last time they had sex was the last time he had wanted to sleep with anyone but Janet. He just hadn't gotten around to telling Janet that. He loved Janet, but at times he still thought about Rooster's scrawny body on top of her. That image still made his blood boil. He needed to get that completely out of his mind before he went to bed with her again.

"Well, Rory. Good luck."

"Take care Eddie, see you around." Rory kisses him one last time on his cheek before gliding over the lawn to find Stratton.

Eddie turns to the porch, points at his belly and mouths "Stratton". He quickly notices Janet's not on the porch, and makes his way back inside, handing the baby off to Hannah.

Janet's in the kitchen, leaning up against the counter, drinking a beer.

"Should you be drinking that?" he asks.

"I stopped breast feeding last week. I told you that. You want one?" Always the barmaid, she reaches in the beer tub and pulls out his favorite brand. He takes the ice cold bottle from her, as he pops off the top and takes his first swig, his eyes never leave Janet's.

"I guess you did." he says after swallowing. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "You ok?"

"I am...I just needed some air, and..." she holds up her bottle. She turns to the table before Eddie can see the tears forming in her eyes. She fiddles with a platter of deviled eggs, rearranging them to fill in the gaps where people have taken from the plate. She feels Eddie press into her back. His body is warm from the temperature outside and he curls his free arm around her waist.

"Janet," he murmurs into her ear. "It's Stratton's baby." He feels her let out a small sob as he kisses the back of her neck which is plastered with the curls that have fallen from her messy bun. Her bra strap has fallen down and is peeking from the sleeve of her shirt. Eddie runs his thumb under the fabric. "Is this that bra from the night I came over?"

Janet nods, she feels like she could faint. If she wasn't at her kid's birthday party, she'd be half tempted to hike her skirt up and beg Eddie to take her right there on the table.

Eddie slips the strap back up under her sleeve, onto her shoulder and then runs the cold beer bottle in his hand over her collar bone and down into the front of her shirt. Janet's nipples react to the shock of the icy glass on her skin. Pulling the bottle back, Eddie slips his fingers into the cup of her bra. "Mmmm, have I ever told you how much I love your breasts?" he whispers hotly in her ear. She nods slightly. She presses back into Eddie's crotch as she feels herself get wetter and sweatier. "After this party, I think we both know what needs to goes on." His fingers circle her nipple, then pull it gently away from her body.

Janet turns around to face him. "Tell me Eddie," she almost demands. "What's going to happen?"

He places her hand on his crotch, as he leans in for a kiss.

The screen door opens as Sam runs into the house. "Janet? Janet?" he yells, as Eddie and Janet jump away from each other.

"In here Sam" she tries to call to him in a normal voice.

"Janet, my mom and I are going to the aquarium tomorrow. Can you and Maddie come with us?" Sam pleads.

"Oh, Sam. I have to work tomorrow. I don't think we'd be back in time for me to make it."

Sam looks crestfallen as Hannah walks in carrying the baby.

"What's the matter Sam?"

"She can't go, she has to work." his mouth falls into a frown.

Hannah looks at Janet, then at Eddie. She smiles as she realizes what Sam must have broken up.

"Well, maybe Janet will let us kidnap Maddie and take her with us..." She widens her eyes at Janet. Hannah and Janet have been friends long enough to be able to talk without words.

"I think Maddie would love that." Janet tells Sam. She looks at Hannah who nods her head as she mouths "Meadows Magic..." 


	19. Chapter 19

Janet notices how quiet her house is as she opens her dresser drawer. Earlier, she and Eddie barely spoke as they had packed up a bag for Maddie. Hannah had suggested that it was easier to take Maddie that night so they could leave early for the aquarium, and had followed them home from the party. Before Hannah left, she had pulled Janet into the nursery, and making sure Eddie was out of earshot, had strongly advised Janet to use the fact she was childless that evening to her advantage. Janet promised her she would, but she couldn't help feeling a little heartbroken that Maddie wasn't going to be in her crib that evening. After Hannah left, Janet had announced she was taking a cool shower, hoping Eddie would take the not so subtle hint. It had worked many times in the past, even though Eddie always complained that Janet ran the water too hot for him. Instead, he plopped down on the couch and turned the late news to catch the sports scores. Janet peeked out into the living room, wearing only her towel. Eddie was fast asleep, the television low, flickering across the otherwise dark room. She had turned the air conditioner off before her shower, and opened all the windows in the house, but the night air was still stifling. She slipped on a ribbed tank top that Eddie had left one night long ago with a pair of boy cut panties. She switched on the light on her bedside table and, settling up against her pillows, she picked up a book and started reading.

Engrossed in the story unfolding, Janet didn't realize Eddie was standing in the doorway of her room. The light was low as her eyes darted quickly over the words on the page. Eddie loved to watch Janet read. She did so at every given chance, and he remembers she often made him wait to start their lovemaking until she was finished a chapter. Janet wasn't one for reading girly romance novels, preferring serious looking, thick, hardbound volumes of fiction. He'd seen her read two or three books in a week, and she had a long standing friendship with Nate, the owner of Ridge Books. Eddie had spent countless hours looking through magazines as Janet searched for a new book. She always had a running list of titles in her purse, and it grew in size, even as she crossed off the ones she'd finished. He was amazed that Nate let her borrow books from his store, and upon her return, purchase only the ones she loved. The first time they'd stopped in the shop, he was a little jealous of Nate. He and Janet had a lengthy, intense discussion about some hot new release they had both anticipated and just finished as Nate charged her debit card for two books, tucking them in the bag with the ones she was borrowing. Walking out of the store holding his hand, Janet had laughed heartily when he'd suggested she'd been flirting. He laughed with her once Janet told him he had more of a chance with Nate than she did. Eddie was long used to getting looks, and free drinks, from the male population of the Ridge. Eddie now notices Janet is practically naked, sexily twirling one of her curls around her index finger, as she absorbs the words in front of her. He clears his throat, and Janet forces herself to finish the paragraph before looking up. She places her finger to mark the last word she read, and slowly meets his eyes.

"Hey." she smiles at him. "You're awake."

He nods, yawning, stretching his arms above his head. "When did you start wearing glasses?"

Janet's hands go to her face immediately. "Oh, I went for an eye exam last month and the doctor said I could probably use them for when I read or drive."

"You look smart." he states, noticing her flinch a bit at his comment. "I mean, wait, that came out wrong." He loved that Janet was so smart, glasses or not. He would bet she read more in a week than all the other girls he'd bedded did their entire lives.

"I know what you meant Eddie, and thank you." She places her bookmark and closes the book, returning it to the table next to her bed, carefully resting her glasses on top. "I guess I should have left the air on. It's still so hot in here."

"Yeah..." he trails off, rubbing the back of his neck. "Let's grab some beer and go to the lake."

"Now?" she glances at the clock.

"Why?" he grins, raising his eyebrows. "You got other plans?"

"No. But Eddie it's after eleven."

"Which is precisely the right time to head out to the lake. Me and the boys used to go out there all the time in high school.

Janet sat behind plenty of girls in school that had been invited to the lake, most of them personally by Eddie. Monday mornings, they loved exchanging stories about how they were dared to skinny dip and kiss him in the water. Janet had daydreamed away many a French class thinking about Eddie naked in that lake.

"What do you say?" he says, interrupting her thoughts.

"Better late than never." she replies, ignoring his confused look. "Just let me get ready."

Eddie doesn't leave the doorway, in fact he leans sexily against the frame and crosses his arms, forcing her to get up off the bed in front of him. She doesn't meet his eye, but knows he's taking in her outfit, or lack thereof. She slips into the bathroom and puts on her recently discarded bra, top and skirt for the second time that day. They are less than fresh, but she doesn't want to go back out in the room for something new.

"Let's go," she smiles.

They drive to the lake, both silent and nervous. Eddie parks the truck as close as possible to the path leading toward the dock. He opens Janet's door and grabs the ice and beer they'd stopped to pick up at the liquor store on their way out of town. At the dock, he reaches in his jeans for his pocket knife, slicing the ice bag open. He shoves the bottles in the makeshift cooler, and offers Janet one. They sit in silence for a few moments, the full moon casting enough light off the surface of the water for them to see each other.

"I miss Mads." he finally confesses.

She sighs with relief. "Me too. It's her first time without one of us."

"Janet, we gotta start figuring us out."

"Mmmhmm." she agrees with him, dipping her toe in the cool water.

"I mean, it's been a long time since we..."

"Trust me Eddie, I know. It's been even longer for me. You know it's been almost two years?"

He looks at her, counting back the months, years. By his calculation, the last time she had sex was with him in the back of his truck when he was still so angry with her.

"Janet, about that night. I was a world class jerk. I tried to tell you in the park that day that I was sorry."

"Sorry that it had happened? " She looks at him, her eyes full of hurt. He pauses, takes a drink of his beer before continuing.

"Sort of...but..."

She interrupts him. "I'm not sorry, it gave us Maddie."

"Let me finish. I was sorry it had happened at first. I was drunk and I missed you. But, man, was I pissed off. It wasn't until I got home that I realized I wasn't sorry it had happened, only that I had been such an ass.I should have stayed, and talked to you. I never wanted to be that guy with you. " He'd left many women right after fucking them, but never Janet-until that night.

"I know, Eddie, I really, really, really am so sorry for what I did to you." Janet touches his hand, which Eddie turns over, lacing his fingers through hers.

"I know. It took me a long time to realize it, but I know." He pauses, then adds, "I'm sorry about Rory."

"Don't be, you had every right to date someone after..."

"No, I'm sorry I kissed her, I'm sorry you saw it, I'm sorry I didn't come clean that morning when I came to Sully's."

"Eddie, it's ok." She's genuinely surprised by his apology.

"Nah, it's not."

"Well." She blows out a breath and swigs her beer which is cold and delicious. "I think we've been sorry way too long."

"There's no one else Janet."

"What?" What the hell does that mean? Was she supposed to think there was someone else?

"No one can hold a candle to you. When I was with Rory in high school, I thought I loved her, and in a way, I guess I did...in that stupid way you love the first person you slept with, the person you thought was your meant to be. But when I got back together with her, after being with you, I realized something. I'm no good without you, I need you in my life...Jeez, Latekka, where the fuck are your balls?" he says, jokingly looking at his crotch. Looking over, he sees Janet is quietly crying. "Hey." he says tenderly, his finger brushes her chin. "What's with the tears?"

"Happy tears, Eddie. Happy tears."

Eddie scoots closer to Janet on the dock. "You know, there's only one cure for this fucking heat." He stands and pulls her up. "Wanna go in?"

Janet has never been in the lake at night. She's sort of afraid of what might lurk in the dark water.

"Don't worry, there's nothing in there. The fish are long gone. Sully and his boys caught them all years ago." Janet watches as he pulls his shirt off and throws it on the dock. He kicks off his shoes without unlacing them, and then undoes his jeans, letting them fall. He steps out of them and bends to peel off his socks. Wearing only his boxers, Eddie jumps into the water. Coming up for air, he sees Janet standing, waiting for him to resurface.

"Your turn." He stands in water chest high and it's his turn to watch as she slowly removes her clothes, folding them as she sets them on the dock. She takes the plunge and swims over to meet him. She has to tread the water a little to keep her face above the surface.

"C'mere." Eddie says, grabbing her. "Wrap your legs around my waist." She feels Eddie's strong hands on her lower back, pulling her in closer. "Better?"

She nods, then kisses him on his lips. He opens his mouth to meet hers and Janet is transported back to the nights they used to spend kissing until their lips were chapped.

Eddie breaks their embrace first and holds Janet away from him. He looks down at her breasts, her sheer bra now totally transparent, stuck to her like a second skin. He ducks his head down and takes her nipple in his mouth, sucking. He works harder once he hears her moaning.

Janets fingers run through Eddie's wet hair. She grips his neck as he peels her bra from her breast. He starts by flicking at her nipple with his hot tongue.

"God Eddie...", he resumes sucking. "Harder..." she moans, her fingers digging gently into the tender skin on the back of his neck. He momentarily stops to look at her, and as she nods, he continues, using his lips, his tongue and his teeth.

Several weeks ago, Janet had come to a conclusion. She decided she wasn't going to be the proverbial shrinking violet anymore. Sexually speaking, she wanted, needed, Eddie to know exactly what she liked, exactly how she liked it and exactly how much she liked it. She had always shied away, too embarassed to tell him specifically where she liked being touched or what she really wanted him to do to her. This time, she fully intended on being a different woman. Eddie Latekka knew sex, make no bones about it. He possessed the right moves, and he definitely knew how to use his tongue, his mouth, his penis. However, sometimes Janet craved a little bit more, wanted a bigger push off the edge. She knew he would freak if she confessed to ever faking an orgasm with him. It had only happened twice, and only when she was exhausted from the late shift at Sully's. Her body wanted him, but had also needed sleep. She decided shy Janet wasn't going to work anymore for her.

"Hey," he whispers, looking up. "What's that head of yours thinking?"

"Nothing." she reassures him by kissing his neck, trailing her tongue down to where his collarbone ended. She playfully bites him on the shoulder which is met by a groan.

"What goes on with you tonight?" he says between nibbles on the skin between her breasts. Janet's sure there's going to be a mark there tomorrow as she urges him to keep going.

"I just missed you Eddie, I missed this."

"Me too...you don't know how much."

She reaches her hand down, under the water to his crotch. "I think I do know..." she giggles.

"Mmm, that feels so good." he throbs against her fingertips which are running up and down the length of his erection. "I like bold Janet." he teases.

"Think you can handle bold Janet?"

"I'm looking forward to it."

Janet runs her wet thumbs over his nipples, which grow harder from the cool water. She bends awkwardly, to take one into her mouth, mimicking his tongue on her breast.

"Now that's new." he moans from somewhere deep in his throat.

"Like?" she asks softly as he nods. She feels his wandering hand between them, his fingers pulling the fabric of her panties away from her body as they continue on their trail downward. His hand finally finds her, teasing.

"Yesssss." she arches her back a bit, pushing into his hand. His thumb rubs her clit as his fingers push into her gently. "That ok?" he says, huskily.

She nods, her breath hot on his ear. "Move your thumb a little to the right, Eddie... a little more...a little...oh god there...slower...ohhhhh."

Eddie has never had a woman tell him how to get her off. He's always been confident in his abilities in that area, but since he wants to make Janet feel good, he takes her instruction in stride. He starts to slip his fingers in and out of her, almost lazily, as she suggests he circle his thumb. The noises coming from her throat become gutteral, her breath ragged and quick. As he completely focuses on what he's doing with his hand, her moans get louder and he locks his eyes with Janet's. She clutches his body harder as she stares boldly right into him. He's never felt her this wet, can feel her warmth on his hand even in the water. He moves his fingers faster, matching the rhythm of his thumb.

"EDDIE." she yells out. "OH FUCK...EDDIE." He leans into her body. "Let go baby, come on...come for me Janet..." He feels her body tense and her voice changes into a low whimper.

"Eddie, oh..." Her body spasms slowly with an ardent orgasm. Almost immediately, she goes slack against him, her body spent, and he grabs her quickly under her knees when he feels her legs go limp. He kisses her forehead. She hides her face in his chest as she shyly clings to him.

"Hey," he murmurs. "You ok?" He feels her nod against his chest as she buries her face deeper.

"Janet?" he says after several minutes of holding her, his hand stroking her back. She finally looks up at him, a soft, satisfied smile on her face as he says, "Let's go home..."

Home. 


	20. Chapter 20

Hoisting himself out of the water and back onto the dock, Eddie watches in silence as Janet picks up her clothes. She's coy with him all of a sudden which he doesn't understand since she had been boldly calling all the shots down in the water. Janet turns away from him as she slips off her undergarments, not relishing a long ride home wearing wet panties. Before Eddie can get a decent look at her naked, she pulls her top on. She feels Eddie come up behind her as she yanks her skirt back up over her hips. She realizes immediately he has shed his wet boxers. He is rigid, pressing up against her, as he wraps his arms around her waist, kissing the back of her neck.

"Eddie," she sighs, leaning back on him. She loves it when he kisses her neck. "The sooner you get dressed, the sooner we can get home and finish what we've started.

Janet's body was alive, electric again. It had been too long since Eddie had touched her, really touched her. There had been an increasing amount of kissing and groping over the past few months, but tonight in the lake, he'd woken up something deep inside her she thought was lost. She fully intended on knocking Eddie sideways tonight, letting him know exactly how much she missed having sex with him. She feels his arms release her and she turns around to catch a glimpse of the sexiest man in Knight's Ridge. Janet's eyes brazenly scan his body. Eddie is unabashedly stark naked and all smiles as he pulls his jeans on slowly. She notices his skin is paler than normal, one of the side effects of spending his days indoors installing windows.

Eddie likes being ogled. He'd been looked at many times naked by women over the years, but the look in Janet's eyes was enough to make him crazy. She had the same mischevious grin on her face as she did the night he'd stripped to that goddamn song by the Bay City Rollers. He'd never admit it to her, since he knew how much she loved that band, but he was glad when the cd had ended during their lengthy foreplay. He had wanted complete silence the first time they'd made love. He wanted to hear her moans, her voice talking to him low and sexy, and her exuberant laughter as he tickled her.

Holding her hand, shoes and wet boxers in his other hand, Eddie leads Janet to his truck and opens the passenger side door for her. She hops in and he leans over to kiss her mouth, his hand grazing her nipples which protrude suggestively through her thin t-shirt. Any other time, he would have turned her body, pulling her towards him and fucked her right there on the seat of the truck. Tonight was different, he knew tonight needed to be done properly.

As he started his truck up and carefully backed it up to the road home, Janet slid over on the seat next to Eddie. She generally thought when girls rode on the middle of the seat next to their men, they looked like idiots, but she needed to be close to Eddie, to feel his skin, smell him. She rested her hand on his thigh as he pointed the truck towards the Ridge.

Eddie was quiet, he didn't expect Janet to get so close in the truck. Her hands were all over him and she lightly pressed kisses on his neck. Her flitting from shy to bold a huge conundrum. Eddie couldn't place his finger on it, but there was an uneasy feeling gnawing at the pit of his stomach.

"Hey, baby..." he whispers, keeping his eyes on the road. "Careful where you put those hands, I need to get us home safe."

Janet jerks up, placing her hands back in her lap. She had touched Eddie many times while he was driving. She had even gone down on him somewhere on the long stretch of interstate back from Providence when they'd visited her Grands, her way of thanking him for sitting through Bye Bye Birdie and the dining hall at the retirement home. He'd managed to not only keep the truck on the road, but also to slip his hand up under her shirt as she brought him to orgasm. He had come wildly that night from the sheer pleasure and shock of the situation. His hips had jutted up as he yelled out her name. Not once had the damn truck wavered from the lane. She was understandably confused he was asking her to back off now.

She slips back over to the passenger seat, fastening her seat belt, and looks out the window.

"Janet, I just need to be careful, we've been drinking."

"You had one beer Eddie." she says flatly. She can't believe their night could be ending so soon. The rest of their ride is spent in uncomfortable silence.

At Janet's house, she's out of the truck before he can cut off the engine. He watches as she stomps up the steps and into the house. He gets out of his truck and grabbing the rest of the beer, he sits down on the top step, opening a bottle.

He hears the screen door open, and Saffron emerges. She greets him with a wet nose on his arm and licks him on the face before going out to the yard to sniff around. He knows Janet's in the doorway.

"Come out here please." he calls to her. The screen door opens wider, creaking, and he suddenly remembers promising to fix that last week. He pats the step next to him, and holds an open beer towards her.

Sitting down, she accepts the beer, swigging from it. "Eddie, what happened back there?"

Eddie sighs, "Can I ask you something?"

She nods. "You can ask me anything, you know that."

"You're different. I mean, out there in the water, you were like a different woman. Did...uh...did you learn that stuff from Rooster?"

Yes, Janet intended on knocking Eddie sideways tonight, she didn't think he'd beat her to the punch in an entirely different way. "What did you say?" Her voice barely audible.

"It's just...you...it's different."

"Eddie." she whispers, swallowing. "I don't even remember what the hell I did with Rooster. I was too drunk."

"Huh?" he looks at her as she nods. "You never told me that."

"Why would I? It changes nothing. I can't take back that I called him, that I did several shots of moonshine in quick succession, and made the most devestating choice of my life. I remember nothing but the utter shame and sickness I felt after it was over."

"You never told me." he repeated himself. He knew the only time Janet did shots was late at night when he came in to Sully's for last call, otherwise she drank beer or wine. He always had a hard time believing Janet would just hop into bed with that asshole Russo. He knew she must have been out of her mind seeing him with Rory, but he never imagined she'd been so extreme. It might not have made him forgive her easier or faster, but it certainly would have made a difference. "So then Janet, explain something to me."

"Yeah?"

"What was going on with you at the lake? You have never taken charge like that, or told me what to do."

"Are you mad, Eddie? "

"Mad? No. Confused, yes."

Janet lets out a small, nervous laugh. "Eddie. I told you, it's been a long time."

"I know."

"A looooong time Eddie." She draws out the word, hoping her emphatic tone will convey what she's too embarassed to admit.

Eddie thinks he knows what she's referring to...but he wants to hear Janet tell him. "I know, long time...and?"

"God Eddie." Her face turns so red, Eddie can see it in the dim porchlight.

Eddie scoots closer to her. Touching her knee, he wordlessly urges her to continue.

"Let's just say I have spent plenty of quality alone time over the past year and a half."

Eddie grins. "Now that's what I'm talking about. Care to elaborate?"

"I guess I just thought about what pleases me."

"Thought?"

"Eddie." She's now somewhere in a land beyond embarassment. She's not sure she wants to discuss her mastubatory practices with anyone, even Eddie.

"Ok, ok," she gives into the pout on his face. "I discovered all the places on my body that please me, the things that make me cum, the way I like to be touched." As the words leave her mouth, she cannot believe she's actually saying them.

"Nice..." he nods his head, winking at her. "Janet, that's fucking hot, you know that right?"

"Hot? How about embarassing?"

"Why?"

"Because Eddie, people don't run around talking about what they do to themselves when they are alone..."

"So you and Hannah never discuss your sex lives?"

"Sure, but we don't talk about the self love, dude."

"But you've told her about the things we do?"

"Oh, like you and Nick don't swap stories?"

"Actually, as much as Nick likes to blabber on and on about his sex life, I never kiss and tell." Eddie may have divulged his wild escapades with his boys about his one night stands all over the Ridge. He'd even been known to give them a full on, play by play Saturday's after their stupid air band practice. They all quickly knew Janet was special the second Eddie refused to talk about what went on in bed with her.

Janet's touched, and feels a little bad that she and Hannah had compared and contrasted Eddie and Ray's lovemaking techniques.

"So, can I just say thinking about you touching yourself makes me very,very hot?" He strokes her leg.

"I think you already did."

"Well, it does. So, what do you think about when...you know...you're getting yourself off?"

"God. Eddie, are we really having this conversation?" He nods, indicating he's not about to let her off easy. "I don't know...I think about you a lot."

"Really?" Eddie always thought girls made up elaborate romantic scenes like a man on a big white horse with his long hair whipping in the wind. All of a sudden Big Cat's television commercial surfaces in his mind and he rolls his eyes. "You ever think about other guys?"

"No."

"Come on, not even, say Big Cat?"

"Eddie, no...Ray? Yuck." One night, long ago, before he started dating Hannah, Ray had kissed Janet in the hallway at Sully's. She kissed him back, but refused his hilarious offer of a night with The Big Cat. She knew he was stinking drunk, and she knew he didn't really want to sleep with her...especially when he left an hour later with some chick he'd poured drinks into all evening.

Eddie's relieved, momentarily. "So what do you think about Eddie?"

Damn, he wasn't expecting her to ask, figured if he kept a steady barrage of questions aimed at her, she'd be too busy to turn the tables.

"Uhmmmm."

"Eddie Latekka! Are you blushing?" He laughs, but still doesn't want to answer her question. "I'm waiting..."

"I don't know...you sometimes. Sometimes it's some hot girl on girl action that gets me going..."

Janet laughs. She has overheard plenty of men in the bar talking about that subject. "So it's true, guys are ALL about that."

He shrugs his shoulders thinking about the best way to change the subject again.

"So Janet, you think you might show me sometime?"

"Show you what?"

"How you like to touch yourself, what gets you off."

"Eddie...wow. That's pretty private."

He picks up her hand and kisses her palm. "I know. That's why I asked."

"Only if you do the same." she jokes.

"Deal." She didn't think he'd agree to her terms that easily.

"Here's what I think Eddie. I think that you and I should use this fresh start to learn new things about each other. We always had great sex together, but I think it can be even better if we let all our inhibitions down. I am willing to go there if you are."

"Yeah. I think that's a good idea. I want to know what makes that body of yours really tick. You were on fire at the lake."

"I wasn't sure if you would be mad that I was telling you what to do."

"Not mad...shocked a little, but now I get earlier." His hand slides up her thigh as he kisses her. He pushes her legs open. "Mmmm, you are so wet tonight baby."

Janet wants to tell him to get in between her legs...to taste her...

"Say it Janet." he whispers in her ear.

"Hmmmmmm?" She lazily kisses his neck, tasting the salt of his sweaty skin.

"Say whatever's on your mind. Say it before you talk yourself out of it"

"I think you should get on your knees Eddie. I know you want to. I want you to..." Before she can finish her sentence, Eddie's kneels on the porch steps, spreading her thighs open, pushing her skirt up with his hands. He looks up at her.

"No chickening out, Janet. I am doing this right here on the front porch."

She grins wildly. "I dare you." That's all Eddie needs. His mouth finds her, his tongue and fingers tease her. He remembers all the instruction she'd given to him at the lake, realizing she'd been telling him all along what she needed. He masterfully repeats his prior performance until Janet comes hard on his tongue, her hands grabbing at his hair as she gasps.

He crawls up her body, wedging himself between her thighs and kisses her, his body hot and heavy on top of her. She tastes herself mixed with the beer on his tongue as the porch steps dig into her back.

Eddie moans in her ear. "I love that you just kissed me."

"Eddie. I think we need to go inside. I need you to fuck me before I explode."

Eddie's going to like bold Janet just fine. 


	21. Chapter 21

A hard rain pelting the windows is what finally wakes Janet. The heat of yesterday has washed away and her cold air is coming through the open window. She licks her lips which are sore and chapped as she pushes her hair away from her face. She winces a little as she rolls from her side to her back, stretching her limbs. Every single muscle in her body aches. But, a smile spreads across her face, for it's a pleasurable ache. The ache of lovers who devoured each other for hours. She keeps her eyes closed as her mind wanders back to her delicious night with Eddie.

After their rendezvous on the front porch, Eddie had pulled her up to her feet, whistling for the dog who obediently came running to him. The three of them had sauntered into the house and Eddie and Janet were quiet as they locked up. The short trip to her room felt like it took hours. She was just behind Eddie, watched as he pulled his t-shirt over his head, pitching it forward with the skill of an NBA star. The shirt landed on the floor, and Janet resisted the urge to bend over and pick it up. Eddie turned to her, smiling wide. God how she loved that grin. He didn't smile like that often, reserving it for when he was really happy. He sat on the edge of her bed.

"Come here." he urged, patting the mattress next to him.

Janet joined him, and as he pulled her to him, she realized he was trembling just as much as she was.

"Eddie? You OK?" she whispered into his ear. Her hand touched his chest lightly.

"Mmmmhmm, I am. I'm just a little nervous."

"Why? It's not like we haven't been here before."

"I know. But it's been awhile."

Janet touched his far cheek, turning his head to her. She kissed him on his mouth, slightly, gauging his reaction. Immediately, Eddie's hands buried in her hair and he tipped her head back, opening her mouth with his tongue. "Tell me Janet, tell me what you want."

"Eddie." She gently pushed him back slightly. "You tell me what you want. So far this night has been about me," Eddie looked down at his lap, surprised his jeans haven't split open from his raging erection. The night had been long, and he'd been at attention for most of it. He heard Janet chuckle softly and looked at her with big brown eyes.

"I suppose it's only fair." she grinned sexily as she slipped off the bed. She positioned herself in between his legs and ordered him to lie back.

"Janet, I wasn't asking you to..." But he shut up as he felt her fingernails graze his chest, pinching his nipples slightly. He moaned, and she lightly moved her fingers down his stomach. "God...Janet..." His words low, sexy, and far apart.

Eddie thought he would explode when he felt her undo his belt, the button on his jeans, then his zipper. He closed his eyes.

Janet had to admit, even if it was to herself, as she freed Eddie from his pants and boxers, he had a perfect penis. She stroked him as she watched him react to her touch, throbbing. She'd certainly seen her share of penises, but never had been at eye level with one until Eddie. The small handful of past men she had been with were always encounters that didn't merit any oral stimulation. Eddie was the first man she'd gone down on, and she knew he was aware of her inexperience their first night together when she'd looked up at him, and said in a whisper, "Teach me, teach me what you love..."

Janet recalled all his lessons as she started using her tongue and mouth on him. Her hands joined in shortly, just as he liked. She felt Eddie's body shift as he propped himself up with his hands. Janet paused, uncomfortable with his gaze. "Please," he implored , touching her hair. "Let me watch you."

Hell, I can do that, she thought as she let Bold Janet take over. She moaned deep in her throat. The words coming from Eddie's mouth were so uncharacteristically dirty they just served to turn her on further. She nodded, urging him to continue talking.

"Oh God, Janet, shit...I think I'm..." she felt his body tense, his hand wrapping around her arm.

As she tightened her grip on his hips, Janet did something she'd never done before. Without breaking her stride, she lifted her eyes. She wanted to see his face as he came. She had watched him plenty of times during sex, but never this way. The look on his face was like nothing else. He almost appeared to be in pain, his eyes scrunched closed, his mouth open, breath ragged.

"Janet..." he was louder. "Fuck..." Eddie's eyes opened suddenly and looked down to lock with hers as he finally got the release he desperately needed. That huge, sexy grin spread across his face again.

He flopped back on the bed. "Holy fucking shit, Janet..." His voice was weak as he reached for her, pulling her up next to him on the bed. "Meadows, that was amazing."

She smiled but rose up from the bed, making a quick trip to the bathroom. As hot as Eddie thought it was when she kissed him after he made her come, she knew him well enough to know he'd never do the same.

"What time is it?" He asked from his postion on the bed, his arms stretched over his head.

"It's 3:30. Why are you tired?" She teased him from the doorway of the bathroom.

"Ha, your ass ain't getting off that easy. Get over here." Janet slid onto the bed next to him. "I might not be raring to go right this minute, but I will be."

Sweet, slow and leisurely, they started kissing, caressing each others bodies, removing their remaining clothing. They took their time touching each other, learning new buttons to push. When Eddie took Janet's hand and slowly sucked on her finger, she thought she would burst. She never realized that spot could turn her on so much.

Eddie pushed her back onto the mattress and stretched over her body. "I know this way isn't that exciting, but I kind of want it like this." he said. Janet nodded in agreement.

She felt his knee push her left thigh wider, making room for his hips. Her hands reached down, wrapping around his erection as she guided the tip across her clit.

He stared down at her. "Mmm, you like that baby?" When she nodded, he smiled and took her nipple into his mouth, nibbling. As she rubbed against him, he used all his power to maintain control, especially when she started to whimper in his ear.

He placed kisses on her chest, up her neck, over her chin, to her lips. Looking into her eyes, "Janet, tell me..."

"I need you Eddie." Eddie pushed his body up slightly to get a better look at Janet.

"What do you need Janet?" his voice was low, but firm. His hands wrapped around her wrists, bringing them above her head.

"Eddie..."

"Janet..." he raised his eyebrows, indicating he meant business.

Her voice was a whisper, directly in his ear. "Eddie, fuck me now."

He entered her slowly, meeting little resistance from her body since she was so wet. His movements were slow, almost lazy, before he gained momentum, found his rhythm. They were sweating, and their moans quickly turned into cries of fervor. They clung to each other as they made love, all the naughtiness of their earlier play paving the way to tenderness.

Eddie held out as long as he could. "Janet, I...have...to.." she pressed her fingers into his lower back, wordlessly urging him on. She was almost there too, but knew it was pointless to slow him. A sharp intake of breath accompanied his final thrust.

"Did you come?" he murmured a few moments later, his head on her chest.

"No...almost...but stay there, don't pull out yet..." He felt Janet's hand move between them and watched her face, whispering encouragement, as she expertly used her fingers. Within seconds she sunk her teeth into his shoulder and he felt her muscles contract around him, followed by a flood of warmth.

Eddie collapsed at her side, his leg still over hers. "Again...hot." she heard him say sleepily. She kissed his sweaty forehead as he drifted off.

Janet slowly rolls over, reaching towards Eddie only to discover he isn't there. She didn't smell coffee or hear the shower running, so she had no idea where he'd gone. She sits up in bed, aware of how sore her breasts are. She can still feel Eddie's mouth on her nipples as a wave of pleasure washes over her body. Spotting Eddie's crumpled t-shirt, she swings her feet to the floor, and slips it over her naked frame. She pads out to the living room barefoot, still no Eddie. Out of habit, she goes to the nursery to get the baby, before she remembers she's with Hannah and Sam.

Janet dials the familiar number on her cell.

"Hey Janet!" Sam answers Hannah's phone.

"Hi Sam, what goes on?"

"We are about fifteen minutes away from the aquarium! Wanna talk to my mom?"

"Sure thing. "

Hannah's voice comes on the line. "Good morning?" she phrases this as a question rather than a statement.

"Uhm, yes. Very good morning." Janet actually blushes, as she sits down on the couch, tucking her bare legs under her.

Hannah laughs. "Careful, you're on speaker phone."

"Come by Sully's later?"

"I'll drop Maddie off there when we get back."

"How's my baby girl?"

"Perfect. She's a doll Janet. Even Ray was mesmerized by her."

Janet knows Eddie hated to let Mads stay in the same house as Big Cat. They had argued about it on the ride home from the party yesterday. The only reason Eddie had finally relented was because he knew Hannah would kill Ray before she let anything happen to her goddaughter.

"Where's Eddie now? Tied up?" Hannah teases.

Janet laughs, "Trust me, I didn't have to tie him to anything...although..." Janet gets an idea, but keeps it to herself as Hannah laughs.

"Janet, hands free remember?"

She hangs up with Hannah when she hears steps on the porch. She opens the front door. Eddie is clad in her Red Socks hoodie and jeans, newspaper under his arm and two gigantic cups of coffee in his hands. Janet takes the leash from him as she holds the screen door open.

"Your goddamn dog won't go on the grass when it's wet. You know that?"

Janet laughs, nodding. One of Saffron's many quirks was how prissy she was about getting wet. She'd wait for hours to pee if it meant staying in where it was dry and warm. She watches the dog trot to the kitchen for her morning kibble.

"I had to take her all the way down the fucking road before she'd do her thing." He's still complaining as he hands her one of the styrofoam cups, "Milk and three sweeteners. And," he hands her the damp newspaper from under his arm. "I remembered you like the Boston Globe on Sunday." He pushes the hood of the sweatshirt off his head.

The look in her eyes says it all and she stands on her tiptoes to kiss his sexy lips. Eddie cups her ass with his free hand and is happy to discover she's naked under his shirt.

"Are you as sore as I am Eddie?" she says with a twinkle in her eyes.

"I am. But in a good way." He kisses the top of her head, "I'm going to take a shower."

Janet settles on the couch with her coffee, opening the paper to the Arts section, which she always reads first. She hears Eddie turn on the shower as she tries to concentrate on the page in front of her. She rereads the same sentence four times before giving into her thoughts Eddie in the shower. She folds the section neatly and goes to the bathroom.

"Eddie?" Janet calls to him through the shower curtain.

"Yeah?"

"It's only 10, and I don't have to be at work for hours."

"It's Sunday, you wanna go have pancakes?"

She has got to seriously work on her come hither vocabulary. She opens the curtain and peeks her head in. Naked, wet Eddie, not the most unpleasant site.

"Eddie." she looks at him.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh." he grins, immediately turning off the water. Janet giggles.

"Dude, you can finish your shower."

"Like hell." he grabs her hand and, not bothering with a towel, leads her to the bed again. Janet quickly strips off the t-shirt and settles in next to him, drawing the covers up.

"No covers." Eddie kicks them off.

"Eddie...I can't."

"Yes, you can. And get on top. I want to watch you."

Janet loved to be on top of Eddie, but only in the confines of the dark, or low candlelight. The idea that he could see every inch of her body, every scar, every stretch mark was enough to send her burrowing deeper under the comforter.

"Janet, when are you going to realize how much I love to watch your body as you fuck me?" His hand roams over the curve of her hip, up her side, across her back as he draws her closer to him.

Janet surveys the room. The overcast sky is casting a weak light into the room, the shades are only open half way. She swallows as she straddles Eddie's lap.

"Good girl." he whispers, smiling. With a little bit of maneuvering, she feels Eddie slide into her.

"Oh, now that's good."

Their morning sex is neither sweet nor slow. They both are too hungry for that, and Janet is surprised how turned on she is despite her current position. She bodly pushes her body up, her hands on his chest as she moves faster. This time she comes moments before he does and she falls back, trying to catch her breath.

"Janet?"

"Hmmm?"

He places his mouth directly on her ear. "Pancakes."

She laughs heartily. "I suppose you've earned it." 


	22. Chapter 22

Eddie stretches his legs under a table at the diner. The restaurant was crowded, and he and Janet expected to wait awhile to be seated until they had spotted Nick and Aubrey, who waved them over to their booth. Eddie's trying to keep up on a conversation with Nick about the job they had lined up for Monday morning, but he's completely distracted by Janet's hand rubbing his thigh. He is seriously contemplating feigning a headache in order to get Janet out of that damn booth and out of her clothes, hopefully right in his truck, until their pancakes arrive. Eddie realizes how starving he is, he hasn't eaten since Madison's party. Digging into his pancakes, he forces himself to listen to Nick.

"Dude, did I tell you what Scuttlebutt told me yesterday at the party?"

"What was Scuttlebutt doing there, by the way?" Eddie says, between huge bites of pancake. He glances over at Janet, who was cutting her cakes into small pieces, exactly as she did for Mads.

"I think Ikey invited him. I'm not sure. Anyhow, Scuttlebutt says Ray is getting some heat over that job he did over at the mayor's office."

Eddie remembered spending hours writing a proposal for that job, only to get shut out by Cataldo Builders. "What kind of heat?"

"The job was supposedly," Nick stretched his arms over his head, grinning, "sub par. Although, I think Scuttlebutt didn't exactly put it so delicately." Scuttlebutt was fond of any four letter word, specifically ones starting with the letter F.

"Sub par, huh? Figures. You use cheap materials and let shitty employees install them, what do you think's gonna happen?" Eddie washes down his pancakes with some coffee.

"This is good Eddie," Nick says. "I have a good feeling about that library window bid."

Eddie catches the waitress's eye. "Can I get some more pancakes, Sarah?" She smiles, making her way to the kitchen.

Nick looks Eddie in the eye, raising his brow. Eddie nods slightly behind his coffee cup, answering Nick's unspoken question. He'd slept with Sarah once, a long time ago, and he'd never called her again. Nick just shakes his head.

Aubrey and Janet are deep in a heated discussion over lip gloss versus lip balm when Sarah comes to the table with two plates of pancakes. She sets one down in front of Eddie, and pauses.

"I brought a plate for you too, Janet."

Janet had barely touched her first plate, and looks at Sarah, confused. "I figured you'd want one." Sarah gives Janet a one over with a smirk as she sets the plate down on the table.

"Actually. I'm good." Janet says.

Janet knows immediately what Sarah Lyons is doing, exactly what every girl in the Ridge has done since she started daing Eddie. She's been the subject of many whispered conversations, sideways glances and eye rolls. She'd simply stop letting them bother her long ago. She knew Eddie had slept with Sarah at some point, vaguely remembers him leaving the bar with her one night. She also knew Sarah and her twin sister, both freshly divorced, had been gunning to bed Eddie, together or seperately, the night he'd kissed her in front of everyone Homecoming Weekend. It was easy for the girls in town to hit below the belt, to try and make her feel bad about not being tall, thin, or big breasted, Eddie's usual fare. She smiles widely at Sarah as Eddie adresses her.

"Leave the plate. I'm starving." He growled at her, his arm went protectively around Janet's shoulders.

The last thing Sarah Lyons heard as she skulked away from their table was Audrey. "What a bitch!"

Janet was quiet on the drive home. Eddie knew, despite the brave face she'd put on in front of Sarah, the smirk and the words slung at her, bothered her.

"Janet, Sarah Lyons is a bitch."

"I know Eddie. Can we not talk about this right now?"

Eddie knew talking about Sarah Lyons wasn't going to put Janet in the mood he wanted her in when they got home. But not being upfront about her, or other women he'd been with, wouldn't bode well for their future as a couple either.

"Janet she's not even half the woman you are." The look on her face made Eddie instantly realize how careless he was with his words.

"Seriously dude, you should drop this now if you want to get laid again today." New leaf, she repeated to herself. If Eddie had come back to her arms after she had slipped up with Rooster, she wasn't going to start wasting her time sweating a washed up divorcee he'd bedded years ago.

At her house, she unlocked the front door, heading for the bathroom. "I'll be right back. "

"I'll be right here." Eddie said, flopping on the couch and turning on the television to find a game.

Several minutes later, he felt Janet's arms wrap around his neck.

"You really want to watch that hockey game?"

"Yeah, it's going to be a good one. Detroit's playing." His hand snakes up Janet's arm which is now bare. She was wearing a sweater earlier, wasn't she? He slides his hand up further. Bra strap. No shirt. Fuck the game.

Eddie stands up and turns around. Janet's leaning against the back of the couch in her sexy bra and panties, smiling. He clicks off the tv and throws the remote on the couch.

"Come here." he says, watching as she walks around the couch and stands in front of him. She's miles of creamy skin in front of him.

"Damn." he whispers. Eddie gazed at Janet's body, her curves, her round belly. He was more turned on looking at her than he could ever explain.

"I'm about to show you a thing or two, Mr. Latekka."

"Oh, you are, are you?"

"Mmmhmm..." She steps towards him, unbuttoning his flannel shirt. She slips it off, letting it fall to the floor as she unbuttons his jeans.

Eddie's hands go around Janet to unhook her bra. He's momentarily confused until he realizes it fastens in the front. He grins as he finds the clasp and pops it open, exposing more creamy skin, pert breasts tipped with the sexiest nipples. Eddie strokes them with his thumbs, watching as the skin around them becomes puckered from his touch. He groans his approval.

Janet lowers her body to the floor, shrugging out of her bra. She reclines back on the hardwood, eyes begging him to join her.

"You don't want to go in there?" he asks, motioning to the bedroom.

Janet shakes her head. "Come down here Eddie."

Eddie unzips his jeans, but leaves them on as he stretches out on top of her. He kisses Janet slowly as he presses his crotch to hers. He immediately feels the heat rising from her.

Janet tastes Eddie's tongue, pancake syrup mixed with coffee. Sweet and bitter at the same time. She sucks hard, pulling him deeper into her mouth.

Fuck any girl he'd ever slept with, including that bitch Sarah Lyons, he'd never been turned on as much as he was with Janet. She continued to amaze him.

Janets hands were working hard to push his pants and boxers off. He felt her hands slip onto his ass, warm on his skin. He lifts his hips slightly, helping her out. When he feels the cold air, he knows she's succeeded. She groans as his erection pushes against her panties.

Janet turns her head to the side as she moves against him. The feel of the satin against his tender skin sends a shiver down his spine. He gently bites the skin on the back of her neck as he moves her hair to the side.

"Harder Eddie." she begs, then yelps as his teeth bite down a little harder on the exact spot he knows drives her wild.

"God I want to fuck you hard baby." He looks into her eyes, trying to gauge her reaction. She merely nods.

Eddie's hands go in between her legs. He grabs the crotch of her panties and roughly pulls them to the side. Janet nods again, smiling this time. "That's good Eddie."

He kisses her hard as he spreads her open with his knees. He enters her with no warning and feels her take a sharp intake of breath. Without pause, he begins to move in and out of her.

They make love on the living room floor, silently, with abandon. They move as one, quickly, roughly. Eddie watches Janet's breasts as they jolt in rhythm with each of his deep thrusts. She grabs his head, forcing him to look at her.

"Eddie, I need to come" she pleads. "Make me come, please."

That was all he needed. He moved faster, his mouth on her breast. She shudders seconds later then wraps her legs around his torso to pull him in deeper until he finishes.

"Bet Sarah Lyon's couldn't do that to you." she murmurs as Eddie shakes his head against her chest. 


	23. Chapter 23

Sunday night at Sully's was rarely busy unless there was a big game on the overhead television. Tonight, there were only a handful of the usual patrons drinking as Alex Trebek rattled off questions. Janet was wiping the bar down when Ikey slumped onto a bar stool.

"Hey Ikey." she said, glad for a familiar face, someone with whom to chat away the slow evening. She wipes the counter in front of him, before pouring him a cold mug of his usual. She sets it in front of him. "What goes on?"

Ikey takes a long draw from his glass before setting it down. "Big Cat keeps calling me."

Janet looks at him, eyes wide. "Why?"

"I dunno. I quit that damn job forever ago. He was so creased when I told him I couldn't work there with Lauch on the payroll after what he did to Eddie."

Janet smiles at Ikey, glad he was working for Eddie and Nick now. "So what does he want with you now?"

"Don't know, don't care." He leans over the bar, talking low, "You know what I think?"

"What?"

"He ain't no good for no one, 'specially Hannah Jane." Ikey plops back on his stool, looking relieved that he finally told someone how he felt about Big Cat. He could have stayed working for Cataldo Builders for the pay alone. Ray was right when he said he would pay Ikey more in a week than Eddie paid him in a month. But when Ray kept Matt on his payroll, still drank and joked with him, Ikey began to wonder how much Ray knew about Eddie's beating. He wishes Hannah would ask him again if Ray knew about Matt's plan, his answer would be much different.

Janet touches his hand, bringing him back. Her look confirms she thinks the same thing, but Ikey knew she needed to support Hannah no matter what. That's what chicks did.

"Drinks are on me tonight, Ikey. Hungry?"

Ikey nods, shyly. He feels like an ass for ever being mean to Janet. He just thought poking a little fun at her was needed to break the ice that first night Nick and Eddie were together again. He should have known when Eddie stuck up for her, ended up drinking at the bar with her the rest of the evening, he was into her. Janet just wasn't his usual type of girl. After Angela's funeral, he realized how good Janet had been for his friend, how much Janet changed him. He wanted to apologize to Eddie a hundred times over for ever disrespecting her, calling her Janet the Planet.

Janet comes back over with a bowl of pretzels. "This should tide you over until your burger comes up."

"Thanks Janet."

Emily comes out of the backroom. She stops by Janet who's washing out mugs at the end of the bar. "What's Ikey doing here?"

"Uh, drinking. Why?"

"No reason, other than he keeps asking me to go out with him."

"Ikey?!" she laughs a bit.

"I know, right?" Emily has thought about dating someone in the Ridge, she's ended up staying in town a lot longer than expected to help with The Commander, and she's feeling a little randy as of late.

"Janet?" Emily says, standing directly behind her. "Girl, you got laid?"

"What?!" Janet turns around quickly to face Emily, blushing. No one but Hannah knew she'd spent the night with Eddie.

Emily turns Janet's face to one side and with her finger taps the back of her neck, exposed when Janet pulled her hair up as she usually did when she got hot behind the bar. "Hickey." she says, grinning.

"Oh my god, are you serious?" Janet hated hickeys, she thought they were trashy.

"Yeah, and it's a good one. Fourteen shades of purple."

The door to Sully's opens and Eddie walks in. His gaze goes immediately to Janet who's fussing over something on her neck with Emily at the end of the bar.

"Hey," he says, coming up to the bar. "What are you two cooking up over here?"

Emily grins at him as Janet blushes. Her eyes go to the counter and a small smile forms at the corners of her mouth.

"What goes on with you, Eddie?" Emily says, coming around the bar to hug him. Eddie wasn't used to hugging people he barely knew, but Emily was the kind of girl you just wanted to hug back. Warm and, hell, there was something sexy about her he admitted to himself.

"Thanks for putting a big smile on my girl again." she whispers, then goes down to talk to Ikey and give them privacy.

"Janet? Can I get a beer?" She turns to get a bottle from the cooler, and he notices her neck. She places an open bottle on the bar.

"What brings you in Eddie? Did Hannah call you?"

"Hannah? What for?"

"I thought she would have called you to drop off Maddie?"

"Oh, no...I just came in to see you."

"Me?"

"You. I missed your face." He says, smiling.

Janet grins. "How's your back?" she asks, shyly. After their heated morning session, when Eddie sat up to find his pants, she'd seen all the red marks she'd left on his broad back. She had done a lot of damage in such a short time.

"It's stinging a little bit, but," lowering his voice, "you can do that again... ANYtime." as he winks at her.

"I will, but please don't ever do this," she turns and points to her neck, "again."

"Ooh, ouch. Guess I got carried away when I..." Janet raises her hand, indicating he should stop his line of thought since Ikey was on his way over.

"Dude. What goes on with you?" He bumps fists with Eddie.

"Not much Ikey, what's up?"

"Tell him what you told me Ikey" Janet urges.

"Dude, check it, Big Cat keeps calling me. Like twenty times already." he pulls his baseball cap down lower on his head.

"What? What the fuck does he want?"

"Like I said to Janet, dunno and don't care." Ikey sits on the stool next to Eddie.

Eddie swigs his beer. "You get a date yet with Emily?" They look across the bar at Emily, who's clearing a table in the back.

"Nah dude, not for lack of trying though, you know?"

Their conversation is cut short by a small shriek from Janet. She runs from behind the bar, right to Hannah, who's carrying Maddie.

"Hi there sweet face, come to mama." Janet takes her into her arms and plants kisses all over her face. "How was the aquarium?" she asks Hannah.

"Fun, next time we should all go together. Sam had a blast showing her all the fish."

Hannah hands the baby bag to Eddie. "I'll give you five bucks to change her diaper, Eddie" she jokes.

"Ha ha. Hey Mads," he smooths her hair down. "I missed you little girl."

"Did she eat?" Janet asks Hannah who nods.

"I stopped at home to drop off Sam and I fed her real quick. I knew you had the late shift."

"Thanks...did you eat?"

"Not since lunch, which was overpriced and sucked."

"Stay," Janet urges, shooting her a look to indicate she wanted to fill Hannah in on her night. "I'll get you a burger."

"I think I should take this one home." Eddie says, taking the baby. He looks at Janet. "Should I go to my place or..."

"No." she interrupts, quickly. "I want her there in the morning. Please?"

He leans in, ignoring Hannah's eyes. "And me?" he whispers in her ear.

She stands on her toes to reach his ear. "I most definitely want you there in the morning."

Grinning, Eddie heads out with Madison. Janet links her arms through Hannah's and leads her to the bar. "Let's get you fed, lady."

As Hannah sits on a bar stool, she tries to explain how difficult it was to make up a story on the fly about why Janet would have Eddie tied up. A story she knew Sam didn't buy one bit. Puberty was rearing it's ugly head sooner than expected chez Daniels.

"Oh, Janet, I almost forgot." Hannah says still laughing with her about her lame explanation to Sam.

"What's that?" she places a fruity red drink in a martini glass in front of Hannah.

"Fancy..." Hannah whistles.

"It feels like a fancy night." Janet admits with a smile.

"You will never guess who I ran into at the aquarium."

"Who?"

"Christine." Hannah rolls her eyes.

"Ugh, what was she doing there?"

"Treating Jasper and Casper to a day on the town I guess. They wanted to hang out with Sam, so of course, I had to walk around with her all afternoon."

"That had to be rough."

"Do you know someone named Vanessa?" Hannah sips her drink.

Janet thought for a minute. "Oh wait, yeah Vanessa, she's one of the mom's in that baby gym class I take Maddie to on Monday's. You met her at the party yesterday. Blonde, perfect hair, always makes you feel like a slob when you stand next to her since she's so put together-even with a six month old."

"Yeah, ok I remember...she was nice."

"Why do you ask?"

"Apparently, she's friends with Christine. I don't know why, but she is. She called her last night after the party, raving about what a great time the kids had. I guess between that and the twins talk about the jump house and Plumpy the Clown, Christine decided she wants to hire you."

"What? Hire me? For what?" Janet looks at Hannah like she's crazy.

"The twins are turning eleven soon. She wants to have some big party for them and she wants you to plan it."

"Me? What the hell do I know about planning a party for someone like Christine Cataldo?"

"Come on Janet, you know the party was fun. You spent weeks planning every little detail, and those cupcakes? To die for Martha."

Janet rolls her eyes at the nick name the girls gave her after the entertaining queen.

"I didn't plan everything. That stupid jump house was all Eddie and Phil."

"I know you had help this time, but you didn't at Christmas when you had that amazing dinner at your house. You, my friend, can plan a party. Christine's convinced she's got a line on some new, unhidden talent. She wants to be the one to discover you."

Janet laughs. "Hannah, I don't know if I can do it."

"Well you'll never know if you don't try, right? Here." Hannah says pushing Christine's business card over the counter to her. "Call her, meet with her. Knock her on her damn ass."

"How do I know what to charge her for this?"

"Easy, use Maddie's party as a guide. Add up what you spent, throw a 20 percent tip on top for yourself, then add 10 percent on top of that."

"10 percent for what?"

"Bitch fee."

They giggle. "Now Janet. I believe we have better things to discuss. Like that fat hickey on the back of your neck..." 


	24. Chapter 24

" I ask again Eddie, what's the big deal about me taking this job?"

"The big deal? It's Christine Cataldo." Eddie said this with a definite emphasis on the last name, buttoning the sleeve of his flannel shirt.

"But she and Ray are divorced. And from what Hannah tells me, she hates Big Cat as much as you do."

Eddie rolled his eyes, and grabbed his keys from their place on the console table. He kissed her quickly on her lips.

"Have a good day Janet." Although from his tone, she could tell he really didn't mean it. She handed him his lunch in a brown bag, which he barely took from her.

"Oh come on Eddie, don't leave like this."

But he just waved without turning around as he walked out the front door.

Janet had been fighting with Eddie on and off since the night she had come home from her shift at Sully's. Nomally, she was exhausted by the time she made it home from the late shift, but that night she had excitedly waved Christine's business card in Eddie's face as she told him about the party for Jasper and Kasper. While Janet totally got that Eddie didn't want her to work for the ex-wife of Big Cat, she didn't think it was that big a deal. She kept pressing Eddie for some reason, other than Ray, why she should turn down a job that would pay well, and possibly launch a new business for her, doing what she truly loved. This morning, after once more expressing his distaste for all things Cataldo, he'd left in a huff, ruining her good mood.

Exactly two weeks after her first phone conversation with Christine Cataldo, Janet stood in the lobby of her insanely expensive office in Boston. Hannah had driven her into the city, but adamantly refused to come in with her. Janet had watched as Hannah took off with Maddie to a nearby park. Now she sat, back straight, on the edge of a overstuffed chair as she nervously waited. She and Christine had racked up several phone calls and e-mails discussing party ideas, but seeing her face to face caused panic in Janet. Christine was a beautiful, successful surgeon. What on earth did she, a laid back barmaid from the Ridge, really have to offer her?

"Janet?" Christine was standing in front of her, perfect hair, perfect body, perfect clothes. Suddenly the outfit Janet had donned that morning, a pale green, short sleeved blouse, chocolate brown slacks and some seriously high heels, borrowed from Hannah, looked downright dowdy next to Christine's designer duds. Target versus Saks Fifth Avenue personified, Janet thought.

Janet stands and extends her hand, which Christine takes warmly, smiling. "Nice to finally meet you, Ms. Cataldo."

"Oh please, call me Christine." She hands several files, which were tucked under her arm, to her receptionist. "Please, hold all my calls until I'm finished."

Janet follows Christine into her large, sunny office. Christine shuts the door behind them, and offers Janet a glass of water. She sets the crystal glass in front of Janet on a marble coaster.

"Thanks. " Janet smiles, relaxing a bit. This can't be the same Christine Cataldo she'd been privy to these past few years.

"Vanessa has told me so many good things about you. I'm excited to work with you."

Janet reaches into her bag and pulls out a square white box tied with a blue ribbon which she sets on the desk between them.

"What's this?" Christine's interest is peaked.

"Cupcakes," Janet says, opening the box and extracting the buttercream topped treasure, which she sets down on the desk on a napkin. "I thought I'd bring you a sample. Cupcakes are all the rage right now, and the kids love that they get their own little treat. It goes over huge. I can, of course, do a full cake if you prefer."

"I am just going to have the tiniest taste of this. I can only imagine how many carbs are in the frosting alone." she laughs. "Gotta watch this figure, you know." She tastes a speck of the buttercream, licking it off her finger.

Janet can't help but think Christine's last comment was directed at her, but presses on.

Over the next hour, Janet and Christine discuss theme and decorations . Janet suggests Plumpy the Clown make balloon animals, face painting by Pizza Girl and, of course, the inclusion of the jump house. To her amazement, Christine agrees to every single one of her ideas and doesn't bat an eye when Janet presents her with the itemized bill for the event.

"Christine, there's just one other thing I want to mention here." Janet decides to tackle the topic of her best friend head on as she packs up her presentation materials. "You know Hannah's my best friend."

Christine nods, her eyes slightly narrowing.

"I want you to know, she will not be an issue here. Whatever problems you two might have will never affect the great party I intend to give you."

Christine surprisingly smiles. "Thanks for that Janet, Hannah and I have certainly had our disagreements, but I can see you are professional enough to not let that bother you."

Janet picks up her heavy tote bag and promises to keep in touch with regular updates on the planning details. She's almost out of the office, when Christine's voice stops her.

"Janet, I forgot to ask, how's Eddie?"

She turns around, dropping her hand from the door handle. "He, uh, he's ok..." she regards Christine strangely.

"I assume he told you about us?"

"Us?"

"Two very hot sessions, right after my divorce from Ray, right about the time he started seeing Hannah." Janet notices Christine licks her lips, obviously revisiting said sessions in her mind. "Revenge sex has got to be the best sex out there. " Christine stretches her lithe frame, not unlike a cat, as she smiles. "I knew how much Ray hated Eddie and his friends and I knew how much he would hate me sleeping with the enemy, so to speak."

Janet's speechless. She thought she pretty much knew all the women Eddie had slept with.

"You must be a very happy woman, Janet. If I remember correctly, and I always do, Eddie Latekka is very talented in the bedroom."

Christine realizes by the look on her face, Janet had no idea she'd slept with Eddie.

"Oh Janet, you didn't know. I'm so sorry. I trust this won't be an issue?" Janet realizes bringing up Hannah was evidently the worst thing she could have done. She summons some strength, but from where she can't tell.

"No Christine, it's fine. That was a long time ago, way before Eddie and I. We're fine."

Janet left the office. She should be elated, her first business pitch went extremely well, but all she felt was defeat. She began to wonder if she was destined to always be confronted with women Eddie had slept with. Hannah's waiting, parked in front of the office, when Janet comes out the front door. She hands Janet a soda as she buckles into her seat.

"Well?"

Janet takes a big gulp of her Diet Coke then looks at Hannah.

"Janet, what's wrong?" Hannah leans over to wipe a smudge of mascara from under her best friend's eye.

"Did you know that Eddie fucked Christine?" Janet says through gritted teeth.

Hannah spits out the soda she'd just swigged. "What!!"

From the backseat, Maddie lets out a laugh. "Funny Annah..." she claps.

"Christine just told me as I was leaving. Right after we'd finished signing the contract."

"What?!"

"You can say that again."

"No wonder Eddie didn't want you to work with her."

"He should have told me. " Janet whispers.

"Christine and Eddie?" Hannah shakes her head.

"Think Ray knows?" Janet asks her friend.

"I don't know. I don't think so."

"It would explain a lot...why Ray hates Eddie so much." And yet another reason why Ray would have Eddie beat up Janet thinks to herself.

"He can't know" Hannah says as she maneuvers the car into the traffic. "He would have told me."

That afternoon, Janet's sitting on her couch when Eddie comes in the front door. Unless he was on a job, he would come over to see Mads and Janet on his lunch break. If the baby was already down for her nap, they usually ended up in some sort of undress. Eddie looks at Janet and immediately knows this isn't going to be one of those days.

"Hey." he says gently, sitting down on the opposite end of the couch.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Janet says quietly, not looking up.

"She told you." Janet notices he phrases this as statement not a question.

"Right as I was leaving, she snuck it in."

"Janet, I'm sorry." Eddie runs his hand through his hair, which Janet notices could use a cut.

"For what Eddie?"

"For not telling you."

"Good answer Latekka. How long?"

"How long what?"

"How long was your affair with Christine Cataldo?" Janet wants to make sure his recount adds up to the story she was given earlier.

"I wouldn't exactly call it an affair Janet. I ran into her at Murph's one day. She flirted, I was lonely or something. So when she invited me back to her place, I went."

"How long?"

"Twice, that's it, twice."

Janet feels her body relax. "Was it good? Was she...was she better than..." Janet thought trails off. She's well aware of Eddie's lothario reputation. She's not sure she wants to know where she ranks on his list.

"Janet, I'm not going to give you details about this, come on, you're just going to drive yourself crazy."

"Answer the question Eddie, and honestly please. "

Eddie takes a deep breath, he's not really into comparing and contrasting the women he's bedded- at least not anymore.

"It was ok. Honestly, the first time, I was just horny. The second time, well it was Big Cat's ex-wife, so I guess I took pleasure in that. She'd just found out about Hannah, so she was all fired up."

"Was the sex good?"

He shrugs. "It wasn't bad. Is that what you want to hear?" Janet recognizes the tone in Eddie's voice, he was well on his way to angry.

"Look Janet, I've had sex, a lot of sex, with a lot of women. You knew that going into this. "

"I know that Eddie."

"And all that sex? It wasn't all good, but it wasn't all bad either. So I guess if I have to categorize it, Christine Cataldo would go on the good list. But it was pointless, we were both doing it for the wrong reasons. "

"OK Eddie." Janet's ready for him to stop talking about sleeping with Christine, or with anyone else but her.

"Janet, let me just say something else here. The majority of women I've been with have been one night stands, one week tops. They never stuck. I didn't care about them, whatever the reason. You are the only woman I've ever wanted to stay with. You are the only one I've ever wanted to stay with until the morning. Our sex is amazing, it's off the charts, or off that fucking good/bad list. I just don't know what else I can do to prove that to you" Eddie pauses before adding, "I thought you and I were in a good place."

"We are." Janet admitted.

"So..."

"Lemon juice and papercuts" she shrugs.

Janet could be as cryptic as Nick Garrett sometimes. "What the fuck does that mean Janet?" he asks, confused.

"It means that finding out about Christine Cataldo was like getting lemon juice in a cut. Stingingly annoying, yes, but not the end of the world."

Eddie shakes his head, laughing. "You and Nick are like the same person sometimes, you know that."

But Janet's not laughing with him. "Eddie, is there anyone else I should know about?"

"What do you mean?"

"Anyone else that's going to knock me sideways?"

"Nope." Unless you find out about Hannah, he thinks. As far as he's concerned, he and Hannah were buried. "You know you're pretty cute when you're jealous?"

"How about when I'm irritatingly insecure?"

Eddie nods, grinning. "That too."

"You want some lunch? " Janet gets up off the couch. Eddie grabs her hand, standing up, pulling her to him.

"Yeah, but what I want to eat isn't in there." He points to the kitchen.

"Dude, don't you ever turn it off?" she jokes.

He shakes his head, looking down, he takes in her dressy outfit, her heels. He leans in close, "You can leave those on." he says pointing to her feet.

"Eddie!" But Janet follows Eddie into the bedroom and shuts the door. 


	25. Chapter 25

Eddie leans back in the chair at his desk. It was early on Saturday afternoon, the weather outside was beautiful, crisp and cool, and he has to force himself to start on the huge stack of paperwork on his desk. He and Nick rarely came in on the weekends any longer, and their workload, which seemed to be increasing with each passing week, was almost crippling the two of them. Ronnie had helped file papers earlier, but he'd rushed out, mumbling about needing to get to the movie theatre on time. Ikey was due in anytime to pick up where Ronnie had left off, but after six messages, he had yet to show.

"That's funny," Nick says, setting down the phone.

"What?"

"I just called Aubrey to see if she wanted to come by for lunch, and she said she couldn't. She was on her way to the movies."

"And? Some people actually use their free time on the weekends to go do things, like see a movie. Those people aren't us of course..." Eddie frowned.

"Hey, you wanted to come in since Janet and Maddie went to that party at Christine Cataldo's."

Janet had been in a whirlwind for over a month, pefecting every detail of the party for Jasper and Kasper. Between her shifts at Sully's, taking care of a now walking kid and all the time she was spending preparing for the fete, Eddie had barely any time with her. Their lovemaking had taken a back seat for the first time since they'd gotten serious again, and Eddie was feeling neglected and horny. He was glad the damn Cataldo Fiasco would be done today.

"I know." Eddie sips his coffee.

"You could have gone too, Janet probably could have used the help." He and Janet had never even entertained that idea. He knew it would be bad news to be in the same space as Christine Cataldo again.

"No, I couldn't." Nick looks at Eddie oddly. Eddie sighs. "Christine Cataldo."

"What about he...You SLEPT with Christine Cataldo? Ex-wife of Big Cat?"

Eddie nods. "Thanks for the recap chief, I know who she is."

"Man Eddie did you do anything but fuck women while I was away? I have to give you props for that though. Big Cat must have been so creased when he heard that."

"I don't think he knows." Eddie sets down his mug.

"He does. You know she rubbed his nose in that the first chance she got. She probably called him right after you pulled out."

"Dude? Too early for that." Eddie grimaces, shaking his head.

"Sorry. So Janet know?" Nick asks.

"Yeah Christine told her."

"Ouch. That's a bitch move."

Eddie nods, rolling his eyes. "I know."

"How did Janet take that?"

"She was pissed, but only that I didn't come clean from gate. That seems to be a recurring theme in my life. " Eddie says, bitterly. "But no more."

"Tell her about Hannah yet?"

Eddie always forgets that Nick knows he slept with Hannah all those years ago. "No." he says, guiltily. "That one isn't my fault though. Hannah Jane threatened me with bodily harm if I let that secret out of the bag."

Nick paces around the room. "Why would Ronnie not tell me he was meeting Audrey for a movie?"

"Wait? Baby Bro is going to the movies with your girl?"

"Yeah, a Harry Potter fest. All the movies back to back."

"Yawn."

"Can I get an amen?" Nick and Eddie bump fists. Nick notices a paperback book under a stack of papers on Eddie's desk. He pries it out carefully as to not upset the mountain of files.

"Janet leave her book here?" He holds up a well worn copy of "Sense and Sensiblilty".

Eddie's face reddens and he looks down to the file he'd been labeling. "That's her book, but she didn't leave it here, I'm reading it."

"You are reading Jane Austen?" Nick stares at Eddie, amazed.

"Yes." His look challenging.

"'Sense and Sensibility'? You?"

"What's the big deal, Nicky?"

"This," Nick waves the book in the air. "is the big deal. You never read a damn thing in high school. I think I did all your English papers for you." He flips through the book, looking for Eddie's bookmark. "Wait, how far are you?"

"Not very. Those chicks in there? Can't they ever just talk normally?"

Nick laughs. "Eddie, my friend, it was published in the 1800's, that's how they talked."

"Oh, and you're the expert?" he says sarcastically. "Because you wrote a book?"

"No. I've read this." Nick scans the back cover, reading the synopsis of the novel. "Yep, I read this when I was in Rome."

"Really?" Eddie draws this word out as he stretches, lacing his fingers together and resting his hands behind his head. He may just be able to use Nick to his advantage here.

"Yes, really, along with 'Pride and Prejudice' and 'Persuasion'."

Eddie looks at him blankly. "Dude, you just lost me."

"Austen wrote those also."

"Well look at the big brain on Nick." Eddie smiles.

"Why exactly are you reading this?" Nick inquires.

"The other day I went over to Janet's and she was watching the movie, and there's this one scene where that one old chick, what's her name?"

"I believe you are referring to Emma Thompson, and she's not that old. Old is Judi Dench."

"Whatever you say Nicky. Anyway, she's all up in arms about some dude she's in love with, you know that guy that slept with the hooker while he was dating that super hot model...Hurley, Elizabeth Hurley."

"Hugh Grant?"

"I guess. Well, the chick was all bent about him marrying someone else, and when she found out he wasn't married, she just went all crazy, started crying and shit. What the fuck was that all about?"

"I believe she was happy that the man she loved didn't marry someone else. It was his brother."

"Chicks man, they're so... Dude, Janet got all weepy, said it was her favorite scene of all time. Then she launched into this huge thing about how she watches games with me, but I'm always put out when I have to watch a chick flick with her."

"Wait, I thought Janet loved to watch sports. That's why we like her so much."

"She does. But she bet me some serious cash that I couldn't get through the book."

"I take it she's going to win?" Nick spots Eddie's bookmark, a business card from a window salesman, around page ten.

"I gotta tell you Nick." Eddie points to the book. "That's some boring shit right there. That Austen chick? Yawn."

Nick wishes he had a tape recorder for this conversation. "Did you tell Janet this?"

"Hell no. I'd be sleeping on the couch, indefinitely."

"Well she's going to ask if you liked it."

"Yeah, and I'll tell her. I didn't."

"Wrong buddy, THAT will get you on the couch, trust me. Not to mention the loss of your hard earned cash. " Nick sits at his desk, puts his feet up and opens the book. "I think I might be able to help you-just let me skim this again."

"If I didn't know better Nicky, I'd think you played for the other team sometimes."

"Eddie, there's nothing wrong with reading something other than sports mags and Playmate of the Month Data Sheets. Janet will appreciate that you tried."

"I know." he admits.

"That said, if you ever tell the boys about this, I'll kill you."

Fifteen minutes later, Ikey bursts in the front door. "Check it!" he yells as Nick quickly shoves the book in his desk drawer. "I got a date."

Eddie and Nick look at Ikey. "With a bar stool at Sully's?" Eddie guesses.

"Naw, dude. I got a date with Emily."

"Emily? I thought she had better taste." Nick jokes.

"Dude. Shut up. She finally said yes, I musta asked her five hundred times."

"Good for you Ikey." Nick slaps him on the back. "You better be good to her. "

"I will Nicky. Hey it's three. Band practice."

"No can do Ikey, we have a ton of work here. Work you said you'd help us with hours ago. "

Eddie stands and steers Ikey to the filing cabinent. "Have at it man."

Nick looks out the storefront window. Owen's parking his behemoth of a vehicle across the street.

"Ow Ro is here. If we put him to work we might get out of here before midnight."

"Dude, there ain't no way I'm gonna stay here that long. I got..."

"A date." Nick finishes his sentence. "We know. File."

"Who the hell is that with Big O?" Eddie asks, crossing his arms as he stands in the window.

Owen opens the passenger side of the car to help out a figure bundled in a big coat, a scarf, dark glasses and Owen's gangster hat.

"Who the fuck?" Nick comes to stand by Eddie. They watch as Owen helps the mystery form across the street.

The bell on the door jingles as Owen guides the bundled shape over the threshold.

"Hey guys. If the mountain won't come to Phil..." he lets his sentence drift off as Phil takes his glasses off, grinning.

"Thought I needed to get down here and make sure this shop was running properly. "

The guys all crowd around Phil. Never the types to be overly demonstrative with each other, each man took their place in line to hug their friend. Eddie was by far the proudest. He blinked back actual tears as he embraced Phil hard.

"Eddie, I am barely breathing as it is. Can you give me a little air?" Phil jokes.

"Ok Phiz, out with it? What got you out of the house?"

"Pizza Girl. I think I'm going to lose her if I don't make some serious changes in my life. So Owen suggested I start small with a trip here."

"So guys, I think we should celebrate this victory." Owen opens a duffel bag he had dragged in and removes dr umsticks, tennis rackets and a small radio.

"No fucking way are you all doing that here." Eddie says. "People will walk by and see you dorks."

The look on Phil's face makes Eddie immediately change his mind. Ikey plugs in the radio and switches on the song. Eddie sits back down at his desk, shaking his head, praying no one making their way down Maple Street hears or sees his idiotic friends.

The phone rings. "Best Friend Windows, this is Eddie." he yells over the music.

"Hey hot stuff." Janet purrs.

"Who's this?" Eddie jokes.

"Funny. What goes on? You having a party over there?"

"No party, the dorks are here having band practice."

"There? But..."

"Yup, Phiz is here too."

"Eddie, seriously? That's so great." Eddie loves that Janet is excited for his friend. "Hey, what are you doing tonight?"

Lowering his voice, "Hopefully something that involves taking off your clothing. " he flirts.

"Can I take you to dinner first?" She wants the whole evening to reconnect with Eddie.

"Dinner? Where?"

"The Johnson Inn." she suggests. "I just got paid, and Christine included a fat bonus on top of my fee."

"So the party was a success?"

"You could say that. I got so many leads it's crazy. I want to celebrate with the hottest man in The Ridge."

"I think Nick's busy tonight."

"Ha ha, what do you say Eddie?"

"I'll be there. " He's hoping Rooster Russo has the night off.

"Seven and wear that blue sweater I gave you for Christmas."

"I always get lucky when I wear that." he laughs. "I should wear it every day."

"As long as you're only around me. See you soon. And Eddie? I love you."

"I love you too." A comment that brings much ribbing after he hangs up. He realizes the song ended several seconds ago.

"Dude. When's the wedding?"

"What? What are you talking about Ikey?"

"You're all lovey dovey on the phone, you practically live over at Janet's, the only thing left at 32 Gelson is your mail and some dirty drawers."

"Yeah Eddie, when are you going to make Janet an honest woman?" Nick adds.

"I haven't even thought about that."

Eddie was telling the truth. He and Janet were finally in sync, it took forever, but they were good. But marriage? The whole idea feaked Eddie out royally.

"You better start thinking that way, she's not going to wait forever." 


	26. Chapter 26

Eddie eyes scan the large dining area of The Johnson Inn for Janet. Not seeing her, he heads over and sits on a stool at the bar. As he pushes up the sleeves of his sweater, he immediately regrets his decision. Rooster comes over and stands in front of him. The bar between them, his protector.

"What can I get you Eddie?"

Eddie sets aside the rage that's boiling in his stomach to place his order. " Whiskey. Neat." Rooster doesn't even have to ask which brand, he's poured many a whiskey for Eddie Latekka over the years. He reaches for the bottle of Glen Breton. Rooster sets the glass down with a napkin and proceeds to wipe the counter right in front of Eddie.

"Something I can do for you Russo?" Eddie sips his drink, glaring at him over the rim of the glass.

"Only one thing Eddie. I want Janet happy, she deserves to be happy. I'm still not convinced you are the guy that can do it, but if she thinks it's you, then I must respect that."

" That's big of you Russo." Eddie seriously wishes he had the power to make Janet materialize at this moment. He glances to the door of the inn.

"I hope you know how wonderful she is. " Rooster adds.

"I do." He looks Rooster right in the eye.

"I mean you have to remember a lot of things about her Eddie. She's that girl, still waters, you know?"

"What do you mean?" Why is he even talking to his mohawked ass?

"She leaves clues all over the place, clues about what makes her happy, but you have to pay attention because she will never come out and tell you. Like she loves flowers, but don't ever send them to her on a typical holiday like Valentine's Day, and never," Rooster wags his finger for emphasis, " send roses- too predictable. She prefers peonies, any color but pink. She adores winter and walking in the snow, watch her face when she catches the first flakes on her tongue, it's truly beautiful. Sprinkles enough salt on her popcorn at the movies to ensure she never has to share. Takes three sweeteners in her coffee."

Eddie knew that one.

"Don't call Martha Stewart a felon, unless you want to get into a long argument, one that you will never win. She loathes avacado, the texture freaks her out, yet she makes a mean guacamole. She could sleep all day, but never does. She hates people touching her feet. She owns more black purses than one woman should, and can, and will, go into detail about why each one is different than the last..."

Eddie puts his hand up. "Why exactly are you telling me this?"

"Because Eddie," Rooster rests his hands on the bar, "Janet is special. The most special woman I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. She better be that to you too ."

Eddie swirls the whiskey around in his glass. He would love to slam his fist right into Russo's smug cheek, but he just looks at him. " I know that Russo."

Janet is suddenly present. Eddie smells her sweet scent before he sees her. She hugs Eddie fiercely around his waist from behind. "Hi sexy." She plants a kiss on his neck as Rooster slinks off.

Eddie grabs her hand and kisses it. How is it possible that Rooster Russo knows so much about the woman he's in love with? He turns around on his stool, hugging her this time.

"How was your day?" she asks, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

"Long, boring...subjected to a terrible band session. I might never recover." He kisses her lips. " I missed you and Mads. Wait, who has Mads?"

"Hannah took her with her when she left the party."

"Hannah was there? "

"Yup, Christine invited her, but I think Ray would have brought her anyway. Christine would die if she knew how much Hannah helped with her party."

Eddie thinks Janet looks radiant, glowing almost. She smells like vanilla and her hair is down, shiny even under the dim light in the Inn. Eddie reaches up to touch her curls. "That's a new top." he says, glancing down, running his hands over her sides and back.

"Hannah and I went shopping after the party. Sam was bored, Maddie was a brat, but I managed to find this."

It was black, low cut and criss crossed in the front, dipping down deep between her breasts. It hugged every single one of her curves perfectly.

"I love it." His fingers feel the fabric and he places a small, quick kiss square on her chest.

"I got some other things too, but those you will see those later." she winks and playfully slaps his hand away when he tries to peek under the top.

Eddie signals for the hostess, who guides them to a cozy booth at the back of the inn. They open their menus, trying to decide what they want to eat, each keeping one hand on the table, Eddie's over hers. He runs his fingers over her smooth skin.

After placing their order, Janet starts to ask about Phil's venture out of the house when Ikey comes up to their table.

"What up?" he says loudly.

"Ikey, what are you doing here?" Eddie looks at him, annoyed. Janet's pleased when Eddie makes no move to take his hand off hers. She knows he's not into PDA's in front of his friends.

"Dude, I told you...I got a date." Eddie notices Ikey isn't in his usual attire. He's still wearing his baggy jeans, but he had on a nice shirt and vest, his Sox hat nowhere in sight.

"Emily called me awhile ago. She said she might be a few minutes late." Janet explains. "Ikey. You look very nice tonight."

"Thanks Janet." He smiles at her and blushes.

"Go get her champ." Eddie says. "And Ikey, don't do anything stupid. Emily's a great girl."

As Ikey wanders to the bar, Eddie looks at Janet. "I love you."

"What's that for?"

"I don't know, I just needed to tell you that." Truth is, Rooster's words are still swimming in Eddie's brain. His harangue at the bar had hit deep below Eddie's belt. He knew Janet had been friends with the jerk since junior high school, but that didn't make the irritation over the fact he seemed to know so much more about Janet go away.

"Care to guess why I was late?" she teases as Eddie pours her a glass of wine.

"If it has to do with hair or makeup...no" he smiles, twining his fingers through hers. He can't stop touching her. He leans back in the booth so his knees rest against hers under the table.

Janet takes back her hand and opens her purse, which Eddie notices is black and huge. "Janet why do you carry such a big ass purse?"

"You really want to enter in a discussion about purses with me right now?"

Eddie shakes his head as Janet's hand comes back out of her bag. She sets a key down on the table between them. "I got us a room upstairs champ."

When Eddie and Janet first started dating, an unspoken game began between them. Each would try and trump the other for the more inventive place to have sex. A hot and heavy competition emerged from sheer boredom with their respective bedrooms, leading them to places all over Knight's Ridge. Best Friend Windows one cold and rainy Sunday afternoon, the front door locked, bent over Eddie's desk, fully clothed except for the neccessary parts. The stock room at Sully's, both during and after business hours. Quietly, slowly, under a warm flannel blanket on Hannah's living room floor late one night after a girl's night out, when a very inebriated Janet had dared Eddie to come over. The fifty yard line on the football field at Knght's Ridge High, moon full. Owen's guest room while babysitting on Rowan date night, after all the kids had fallen asleep. Their favorite places, by far, were the rooms they rented at various hotels, motels and inns. Those rooms were privy to the sweatiest, loudest and most acrobatic sex of their relationship. There had been many knocks on the walls behind the headboards of those rooms, people yelling at them to shut up. In Providence, when they drove up to see her Grands for the first time, the front desk had even called to ask them, rather politely, to keep it down. Eddie had finally broken through to Janet's inner minx, and he relished every minute he had with her naked, impudent self.

Eddie grins. "Are we feeling a little frisky tonight, Meadows?"

"Hope that's ok with you? I know I've been neglecting you."

He would have high fived her if he didn't think it was too crass.

Eddie couldn't believe how long dinner took. He loved talking and laughing with Janet over a bottle of red wine and dinner, but he was anxious to get her alone. If Eddie was ever pressed at a later date to recall what he had ordered that night, he would come up blank. He did his best to listen as Janet recounted in hilarious detail the party she'd organized, hoping she didn't catch on that he was imagining her undressed. She was so proud when she showed Eddie her bonus check. He'd almost choked when he saw the amount.

They decline the offer of dessert from their server, and pay the check, Eddie takes Janet's hand as they slide out of the booth. They wave to Ikey and Emily, who are deep in conversation at their table. With a smug grin, knowing Rooster is watching them, Eddie, his hand on the small of her back, guides Janet towards the rooms upstairs rather than out the front door.

At the door of their room, Janet can barely get the key in the lock, she's a little tipsy from the wine. Eddie, behind her, assaulting her neck with a fervor of kisses.

She forgets the key momentarily and leans into the wooden door, relishing the feel of his lips and tongue on her skin. She curses herself for ignoring his many advances the past few weeks. Eddie's hand creeps up her front, cupping her breast, causing her skin to tingle.

"You want to open that goddamn door baby, or are we gonna do this right here?" He growls, huskily into her ear.

Janet giggles, but manages to finally unlock the door. Eddie kicks it closed with his foot as Janet attacks him, pulling him to the bed by his sweater.

He grabs her shirt at the bottom and yanks it up and over her head.

"Wow." He stands back to admire her. Black, plunging, lacy, hot bra. "

Take off your pants." Janet, rather than protesting, quickly does as he asks, slipping them off with her shoes. Black, lacy, hot panties. He grins. He can't stop grinning.

Janet helps Eddie out of his sweater, kissing his chest, pressing her tongue on the scar under his right pec, the only remnant from his fight with Matt Lauch. He takes off his pants and boxers and sits on the edge of the bed.

"Come here." His voice is sexy, low, his "I mean business" voice. She stands before him as he slips the lacy panties over her hips. They fall to the floor and she kicks them aside.

"Let's try this." Eddie tugs at Janet's waist as she remembers a particularly seedy motel room where they disastrously tried this very position. She keeps her feet rooted to the floor.

"Eddie, sweetie, we tried this one, remember? My legs are too short."

"Come here." He grabs her hands, pulling her towards him. "Straddle me. Try and keep your feet on the floor. That's it baby...now go slow."

There was no need for foreplay tonight, she was already soaked. The heat he feels as she envelops him is almost too much to handle, he feels it all over. They move slow, together, Eddie supporting Janet by the back of her thighs as she moves on him. He watches as she eases the straps of her bra over her shoulders to mid arm, exposing her breasts to him. She knows how visual Eddie is. Months of sex with him had finally left her feeling beautiful, comfortable. "God Janet, I love you so fucking much." His mouth finds her nipple.

Janet craves Eddie's voice when they were having sex, trembling and vulnerable. She doesn't care what he says, sweet things, dirty things, she just loves it when he talks to her. She smiles at him softly as she strokes his hair, moving with him. Janet had heard over and over from all her girlfriends how good sex could be with the right person, she never believed them until making love with Eddie. It didn't matter what position they were in, how long their session, Eddie acted as if it was his only job in life to bring her to orgasm.

They were working into a serious sweat when Janet's cell phone rang, loudly, alarming them.

"Leave it." Eddie demands as she looks towards her purse. "They can leave a message." He touches her cheek, bringing her back to him.

After they were both satisfied, Eddie flops back on the bed, pulling Janet with him. She wiggles and tries to lie beside him, but he circles his arms tighter around her. "I want you right here baby."

"Eddie, this can't be comfortable for you." She's always hyper aware of her weight when she's on top of him. His grip around her tightens as he kisses her.

"Janet Edith Meadows. I love you."

"I love you too. What's gotten into you tonight dude?" She uses her hands to push her body up to look at him.

"I might not know everything about you yet Janet, but I want to."

She looks right into his eyes. She recalls Rooster walking away from them as she came up to the bar earlier. "What did he say to you Eddie?"

"What?"

"Don't play dumb Latekka."

Eddie swallows. "It kills me that he knows so much about you, things that I should know...but I don't."

"Oh, my sweet, sweet man." Janet kisses him on his forehead. "You have so much more than that baby." She takes Eddie's hand and presses it to her heart. "That's yours. Forever if you want it."

Janet's phone rings again, this time it's the ring she's set when Hannah calls from her cell. "Hannah," she says, "could be about Maddie."

Eddie reluctantly releases her from his arms and watches as she fumbles through her purse looking for her phone. She sits on the chair across from the bed and smiles at him as she opens her phone.

"Hey Hann..." Eddie sits up immediately as Janet's face goes white. She shuts the phone, grabbing for her clothing.

"Janet, what is it?"

She doesn't speak as she grabs all her clothes. Looking up at him, her eyes full of tears, she chokes out, "That was Hannah, from the emergency room. Maddie...oh God Eddie...Maddie." 


	27. Chapter 27

Hannah paces the floor of the emergency room, her mind racing. She's frantically trying to decide what she is going to say to Janet when she arrives. She had promised Janet and Eddie many times that nothing would ever happen to their little girl in her care. Now, Maddie was on an exam table, inches away from Hannah, as her pediatrician, thankfully at the hospital late that night, gently examines her arm. Hannah had finally stopped asking questions when Dr. Greene assured her that as soon as he knew something he would fill her in.

Three seconds after her last question, Janet and Eddie rush in.

"Oh Maddie." Hannah can tell Janet had cried the entire way over. She drops her purse and goes right over to Maddie's bedside, ignoring Hannah.

"Hey Doctor Greene." Eddie says. "What's going on?"

"Eddie, hi. Janet, good to see you. It appears that Miss Maddie here has a small fracture. I need to take some x-rays to determine how bad it is, and if we need to put her in a cast. But she's being a trooper, aren't you Maddie?" The doctor touches her cheek, wiping away some residual tears. "If you two are ready, we are going to wheel her down there now."

Eddie touches Janet's back. "I'll be there in just a minute baby." He picks up her purse, since she makes no move to do so and watches as she walks next to the rolling table, murmuring to Maddie as they make the trip down the hall.

"Wanna tell me what happened here Hannah?' Eddie turns to look at her.

"Her arm, it got caught in the front door. It was an accident."

"You're going to have to give me a little more than that. Like the whole story."

"Ray and I were arguing, I followed him into the house, he didn't know I was right behind him when he slammed the door shut."

"Ray did this." He didn't look surprised, or bother posing his sentence as a question.

"It was an accident."

"Who does that?" he says, incredulously.

"Eddie, Ray's so broken up over this. He didn't know I was that close to the door, Maddie had her arm out, it was a total accident."

"I get it Hannah Jane, but what I meant was who slams the door in the face of their wife, baby or no baby in their arms?" Eddie's rage was increasing.

"Eddie..."

"No Hannah." He shakes his head at her, crossing his arms. "You and I have been friends too long, maybe not how we used to be when we were teenagers, but because of that, I have always tried to respect the fact that you were with Ray, as much as I hate him. I felt I owed it to you and especially to Sam not to trash him. But I cannot believe that you are standing here, defending him. He totally disrespected you and now my kid is in there getting an x-ray for a fracture. Come on Hannah. "

"I am so sorry Eddie." But Eddie puts his hand up to stop her.

"Hold Janet's purse. I need to go see what's going on."

Hannah sinks into a chair, Janet's purse on her lap. The tears flow easy and hard now. Eddie, again, was right. How could Ray slam a door in her face? What had they even been arguing about? Nick. Hannah had stopped off at Best Friend Windows to pick up Maddie's playpen. Eddie had already left to get ready for dinner and she'd let Nick load the playpen in the back of her Volvo. They had chatted, amicably, for awhile, Nick catching her up on The Commander's progress with his chemotherapy treatments, Hannah telling him how proud she was over Janet's job for Christine. She hadn't noticed Ray drive by, didn't know he'd seen her laughing and chatting with Nick until she got home and he lit into her. She had followed Ray up the walkway toward the house, pleading with him to keep his voice down, to turn around and talk to her. Once he was in the front door, he'd swung it shut behind him quickly, with force. The sound of Maddie's cry as the door crashed into her arm would stay with Hannah forever. When Ray realized what had happened, he had opened the door quicker than he'd shut it, his face white, full of horror over what he'd done. He'd pulled Hannah inside and tried to take Maddie to look at her arm, causing Maddie to scream louder and shrink away from him, clinging to Hannah. Hannah immediately ran to the phone, calling the hospital. She kept the number on speed dial ever since Sam's accident. She examined Maddie's arm as the advice nurse gave her specific instructions. Confirming the bruising and tenderness the nurse described, she'd scooped Maddie up, throwing the phone on the counter, rushing her to the hospital.

"Hannah." Janet was now in front of her, her voice cold, her blue eyes vacant. "I need my purse. I have to get the insurance card for the forms."

Hannah stands, holding out the bag, one she recognized as a favorite of Janet's since it was so big, and carried everything she needed. "What did the x-ray show?"

Janet takes her purse. "She has a greenstick fracture."

"What is that?"

Janet thinks back to what the doctor had just explained to them. He'd used a lot of medical jargon, which she didn't hear as she stared at the x-ray posted on the light box. When Dr. Greene left the room, she had to have Eddie explain the diagnosis.

"Ok, Janet, you know how when you try to break a twig, and it only snaps halfway, because it's kind of flexible?" she nodded, thankful Eddie had been listening to the doctor. "Well he said that's how babies bones are, they aren't all brittle so they don't break clean like a tree branch would. It's like half the bone is broken and the other half isn't"

"So what happens now?"

"Dr. Green has to manipulate the break, to realign the bones, I think that's what he said. He had to go get something to numb her arm though. Janet, he said it's pretty painful."

"Oh God, Eddie. I can't watch him hurt Maddie."

"I know baby. I want you to go out to the waiting room. I will stay here with her, and then I'll come get you when it's over."

"No...I have to...what kind of mother can't stay with her baby?"

Eddie pulls her to him. "The kind that will step back and lean on me for a change where Mads is concerned. Janet, sweetheart, you are the best mother in this world. Let me try and be as good as that for once."

She looks up at him and hugs him tighter. "I love you Latekka, now more than ever."

"I love you more than that Meadows."

"Janet?" Hannah brings her back to reality. "I am so damn sorry."

Janet knows exactly how Hannah feels. The way she had several years ago when Sam was in the hospital when he'd gone to spy on Eddie at the Rowan's barbeque. She didn't blame anyone for that day except herself. If she wasn't such an idiot about Eddie, if she hadn't whined about him standing her up, if she'd had a little more confidence to throw out a "fuck off" where Eddie was concerned that day, Hannah would have never sent Sam on his covert mission.

"I know Hannah, I know you are sorry."

Janet and Hannah sit in the waiting room, a half hour passes before Janet finally speaks.

"Hannah, you know I love you more than life itself right?"

"Yes."

"What I have to say to you now, please know that it only comes from that. " Hannah looks at Janet, fear and concern in her eyes.

"I cannot ever let Maddie come back over to your house."

Wow, Hannah didn't see that coming. "Janet..."

"Let me finish, please. I know you love Maddie, probably as much as you love Sam, that you'd do anything for her. But as long as Ray Cataldo is in that house, Maddie will never be. My head knows it was an accident, but my heart Hannah, my Goddamn heart can't listen to my head here. You of all people should understand that. You and Sam can still see her whenever you want. Come to my house, meet me at the park, have dinner with us, but I can't let her near Ray. Not after this."

Hannah nods. There was no point in bringing up the fact that it was an accident. Eddie's words were racing through her head. "Who slams the door in the face of their wife?"

"And Hannah? I have to say one other thing here. I think your husband is a horrible man. I didn't at first. I saw everything good that you did in him, but there have been so many things that just don't add up. I really believe that he knew that Matt and his asshole friends were going to hurt Eddie that night and I would actually bet money that he was the mastermind behind the whole thing."

There, she said it. Finally, exactly what she'd thought of Ray Cataldo. She glanced over at Hannah. The tears streaming down her face let Janet know Hannah agreed with every terrible thing she'd just said.

"I don't know how to be Hannah anymore Janet. She's lost."

"Sweetie. She's not. She just needs to step back and look at her life and make some big decisions." Janet places her hand over Hannah's "I am always here for you Hannah, you just have to ask."

Dr. Greene comes into the waiting room. "Janet, Eddie wanted me to come and get you. I have finished the reduction on Maddie's arm and I am going to put a cast on her. He thought you might want to come back in the room since the worst is over."

Janet stands. "Hannah, I need to get back there."

"Go, I will talk to you tomorrow." She fiercely hugs Janet. "I'm sorry, so, so sorry." Reluctantly letting her friend go, she watches Janet as she rushes down the corridor towards her baby.

Janet peeks her head in the door of the room in which Dr. Greene said she would find Eddie and Madison. Eddie is sitting on the exam table, Maddie on his lap. She is cuddled into Eddie's chest, her left arm red and swollen. Janet feels her chest tighten as she watches the man she loves reading to Maddie in a low voice.

"The store was always filled with shoppers buying all sorts of things, but no one ever seemed to want a small bear in overalls."

Janet immediately recognizes the story as Maddie's favorite about a bear that searches for the lost button from his overalls. She leans on the doorframe, partially from fatigue, partially to stop her world from spinning from joy.

"See the bear Mads? What color are his overalls?" Eddie tries to coax the word out of Mads mouth. "Are they green Mads?" She nods against his chest. "Good girl, that's right. They're green."

Tears spring to Janet's eyes as Eddie looks up. "Hey." He smiles at her.

"How is she?"

"She's good now." Eddie holds up the book. "They had her favorite."

Janet nods. "Was it terrible?" She sits on the stool next to the table.

"Honest?" Eddie looks her in the eyes as she nods again. "It was the worst thing ever Janet. Dr. Greene gave her a shot to numb her arm, but I know she could still feel it when he fixed the bone. I don't ever want to hear her make the noises she made again as long as I live."

Eddie realizes too late that he should have phrased his last sentence a little more delicately as he sees the tears pour from Janet's eyes.

"Janet." He nudges her leg with his foot gently. "Hey you, she's all good now. Just look at her. "

Maddie points to the book with her good hand. "Da, more."

"See? " he grins wide. "Just like mama."

Two hours, a green fiberglass cast, and a filled prescription for baby Tylenol later, Eddie and Janet were finally home.

"Eddie? Where's Saffron?" she whistles for the dog, but she doesn't come.

"Phil has her. I thought since we'd be in and out tonight, although I have to say I imagined that in a far different capacity," he grins. "Phil could watch her. He and Pizza Girl planned another outing to the park...thought she might be a distraction for Phiz."

Janet smiles. There was no end to this man tonight.

Maddie, exhausted, had fallen asleep in Janet's arms. "Should we put her in her crib?"

"The doctor said it was ok. Prop something under her arm to kind of keep it stable." he instructs as he follows her into the nursery.

Janet sets Maddie in her crib slowly, softly. "Hand me that bear, please" she whispers. The brown bear, a gift from The Commander and Leslie is the perfect size to stabilize her arm. Eddie turns the volume up on the baby monitor and wrapping his arm around Janet's shoulders, he guides her to the bedroom. She sinks onto the bed, wearily, as she watches Eddie adjust the volume on the monitor on the bedside table. He stretches his body out, sinking back onto the pillows after kicking his shoes off. "Come here lady."

Janet crawls up to Eddie, burying her face in his chest she sobs. Eddie lets her cry for a long time as he strokes her back. When she has no more tears, when her body stops shaking, he tilts her head up to his. He kisses her softly on the lips.

"Better?" he murmurs. She nods. "Not exactly the night we imagined huh?"

She laughs, but sits up as she groans. "God Eddie, I was terrible to Hannah earlier. I told her Maddie wasn't allowed in her house as long as Ray was there."

"Really?"

"I know, that was harsh, right?"

"No baby, I am proud of you." He pushes Janet's hair back off her shoulders. "Mads will never be around him ever again. "

"But Hannah loves her. This isn't her fault Eddie. I said all sorts of mean things about Ray to her."

"So? She needs to hear it. Cataldo is fucking scum. He's a dirty businessman and..."

"Can we not talk about Ray anymore?"

"I'm all for that."

"I didn't thank you Eddie."

"For what?"

"Being such a rock tonight. I would have never made it through tonight without you."

"Yes Janet, you would..." but her eyes plead with him to accept the compliment. "You're welcome."

She pushes him back against the pillows, straddling his lap. She plants kisses all over his face, down his neck, her hands pushes his sweater up as she runs her fingers through his chest hair. "Are you tired?" she murmurs, sexily.

"Are you kidding?" He grins as she unbuckles his belt. He thought sex would be out of the question again tonight.

Just as Janet works her tongue down his stomach, there's a knock at the front door. He groans looking over at the clock which glares back at him, 1am. "Who could that be at this time?"

"Stay here." she demands. "Do not move." She pads to the front door and opens it as she turns on the light outside.

Standing on her porch, tears streaming, with a suitcase at her side, is Hannah. Janet steps out and catches her in her arms as she collapses. 


	28. Chapter 28

Janet pulls her shirt over her head and starts brushing her hair, staring at her reflection in the mirror as Eddie comes out of the bathroom, towel around his waist, still wet from the shower.

"Stop right there mister."

"What? Jeez, I wiped up the floor when I got out." He rolls his eyes, annoyed.

He's learning, she thinks as she grins at him. "No, I just want to check you out with just a towel on hot stuff. "

"Janet, I'm warning you, do not tease a deprived man."

"Eddie, I hardly think you qualify."

"Really? So when exactly" he comes over to Janet, standing behind her. He leans in to whisper in her ear. "was the last time we had sex?"

Janet looks into the mirror, meeting his eyes. Since the night she'd opened her door and found Hannah a week ago, Janet's house had been jam packed. Hannah couldn't face going back to her house, so she and Sam had pretty much moved in. Janet's house, which always seemed cozy, now just felt crowded with shoes, clothes, people. Sam was sleeping on the couch, and at her own insistance, Hannah was bunking on the floor in Maddie's room, waking up many times during the night to check on her, make sure she was comfortable in her crib. Maddie had taken to the cast well, and was motoring around as if there wasn't an awkward sheath of fiberglass protecting her healing limb. Janet was thankful that Maddie was no longer crawling. Somehow she realized an upright Maddie was better for all concerned.

She turns to face Eddie, and whispers back, eyes widening as they always did when she was about to make a point. "I know dude, trust me. We never got to finish what we started that night."

"I gotta have some sex Janet."

She giggles, "Well, you can, uhm, go get back in the shower and you know, take care of yourself big boy."

"Been there," he sighs. "Done that. Like every damn morning this week. It's getting real old, I need you." He kisses her neck.

"Yeah, I need you too..." And I feel you, she thinks as he presses into her body. "But, isn't it a mood killer for you knowing Sam and Hannah are right out there?" She jerks her thumb towards the living room.

"No. There aren't many things that are a mood killer for me, you know that. Come on..." Eddie pleads, guiding Janet to the bed. As he sits on the edge, he pulls her onto his lap.

"Eddie..."

"I promise I'll be quiet..." He grins as his hands creep up the back of her top.

She smiles at him, knowing full well Eddie wasn't usually the silent type in bed. "I promise I will more than make up for this celibacy when they are gone." She kisses his lips.

"What if they never leave?" He groans, flopping back on the bed, his erection more apparent against her crotch.

"They will. Besides, Nick's coming over in a few minutes, so get dressed."

"What's Nicky coming over for?"

"Hannah needs to go to the house and get some things, Nick didn't want her to go alone."

"I could have taken her."

Janet leans forward, her hands and knees on either side of him. "I know Batman, but I think Nick's trying to be there for her and Sam. Get back into good graces or something."

"Guess he's not still playing that idiotic longball game..."

"Longball?"

"Longball...some shit Owen and Ronnie convinced Nick he should try where Hannah was concerned. You know, keep his distance until the thing with Ray tanked."

"And you all think women play games?" She pokes him in his ribs.

Eddie wraps his arms around Janet's waist, pulling her down onto him. He runs his fingers through her hair, a sure fire way to drag her into his lair. Maybe she could have sex with him, quickly...

"Janet!?" Sam yells through the door.

"One sec Sam." She yells back, smiling at Eddie. "I'm just getting dressed in here."

"They're never leaving." Eddie sighs.

"Can we go get pancakes Janet?" Sam yells through the door.

"Yeah Sam, one sec." She looks at Eddie, shrugging. "Pancakes?" She gets up off the bed.

"Great. Pancakes." But Eddie gets up and roots through the dresser drawer for his boxers. "What time do you have to work?"

"Two, but I have the short shift this week. I'll be home for dinner."

"Janet, Eddie...hurry!"

"You heard the man, hurry." But she sat and watched Eddie as he slowly got dressed, the only thing she liked better than watching him get undressed.

After an uneventful shift at the bar, Janet opens the door to her house. The only light in the room is from the television, which is tuned to some old black and white movie. Hannah's stretched out on the couch, her head resting on a pillow in Nick's lap and her feet are in Eddie's lap, all three are fast asleep. Janet's not sure why, but the current configuration on the couch makes her blood boil. She shuts the door quietly, as to not wake the threesome. To anyone else, the scene would seem so sweet, two old friends comforting another in need. Janet imagines there had been many lazy afternoons, years ago, in which the three of them had ended up in the same position. Only Eddie wasn't her boyfriend and Hannah wasn't her best friend then. She realizes Eddie shares a bond with Hannah that stretches back long and far, she just wonders how long and how far.

Janet goes into the nusery, still irritated. Maddie's asleep, a sure sign that Eddie had skipped her afternoon nap, since it was only seven, an hour before she usually went to bed. She kisses the baby on her head and retreats into the kitchen, avoiding the living room. She starts to pour a glass of wine, but realizes she'd rather get out of the house. She grabs the leash from the hook in the kitchen and whispers for the dog.

"Saff, come here girl, wanna go for a walk?" The dog jumps up wiggling, her tags jingling. "Shhhh." Janet opens the front door again, letting the dog go first. She allows the front door to shut loudly behind her as she sets out for the park, plugging her earphones in, turning the volume up to drown out the thoughts in her head.

After three turns around the path at the park and a stop at Holly's for a cup of coffee, Janet heads for home. She feels a blister forming on her heel from her boots and wishes she had bothered to change into her walking shoes. When she walks up the path to her house, Eddie's out on the porch, leaning back in a chair, feet up on the railing.

"Hey." He stretches, yawning.

"Hello." She says, coldly. "Have a good nap?"

Eddie was about to say yes, until he realized Janet was using the tone she'd always used when she was angry with him for something. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Janet bends to unleash the dog, who naturally goes over to sit by Eddie. She doesn't bother to meet his gaze.

"Come on now, I know that tone."

"I guess I don't like coming home and seeing my best friend in your lap."

"My lap? She was hardly in my lap Janet. It was a rough afternoon."

"I bet."

"Janet. Do you honestly think I knew her feet were in my lap? I was asleep. She must have stretched out."

Janet wants to relent, to go over to Eddie and kiss him. He looks sexy- fresh from his nap, eyes still sleepy. But the other part of her wants to walk into her house, stamp her feet and scream at Hannah for putting her feet on Eddie. She does neither. She simply leans on the porch railing and crosses her arms.

"Look Janet, when Nick and Hannah went over to her house, the place was trashed. Ray broke a lot of her things, dishes, crap that's been in her family for a long time. Then she found the papers."

"Papers?"

"Divorce papers. Ray filed. Abandonment of marriage or some shit like that. Hannah's been a wreck ever since. Won't eat, won't talk, just cried all afternoon. We finally got her to lie down, and I guess we all fell asleep."

"Cozy."

"Hey, don't get all creased about this."

"Why not Eddie? My boyfriend and my best friend..."

"Hey, I've been friends with Hannah Jane a lot longer than you have. We go way back."

Janet looks at him hurt. "I know that Eddie."

"Who do you think she came to when Nick left?"

"I assume you."

"Yeah, she was a hot mess and so was I. Deep down, we both knew Nick wasn't going to come back. We kind of got each other through it."

"Did you now?"

"Fuck Janet. What are you implying?"

"That maybe you had a thing for Hannah, wanted what your best friend had?"

Eddie looks at her, his eyes narrowing. "You know what? Maybe I did. I always envied Nick and Hannah, they were, you know, it. I thought I had that too with Rory, thought the four of us were going to be happy, get married, have kids. Nick and I would open our shop, and we'd all live these great lives. But Nick left, then Rory dumped me, and Hannah and I leaned on each other."

"Say it Eddie."

"Say what Janet?"

"You fell in love with her."

He shakes his head, sadly. "No. It wasn't love. It was revenge, every time. "

Janet realizes what Eddie's trying to tell her. "You slept with Hannah? she says in a whisper.

"Yup. There it is. Happy now? We fucked, had sex, banged, whatever you want to call it. And you know what? It was the worst thing in the world. We were clinging to something we could never get back.

"Eddie..."

"What?"

"You told me that there wasn't anyone else that I would be surprised by."

"Well you know what? I fucking lied Janet. But there it is. I. Fucked. Hannah. In the grand scheme of this shit hole I call my life, it meant absolutely nothing."

Janet kneels down in front of Eddie and she takes his hands in hers. "Your life isn't a shit hole Eddie."

"No it's not, not any more. But it was. Man, I was lost for a long time Janet, but you knew that. I thought that when I loved someone, that made them leave. Hell, my dad left, then my mom, Rory, and Nick, that killed me the most...That's probably why I fucked around with all those girls." Eddie points to his chest. "I got to be the one to leave, I got to break their hearts. But you were always different Janet. I loved all those nights at Sully's, talking to you, drinking with you, becoming your friend. I told you everything, well almost everything, and you didn't run. You saved my fucked up heart. You took all those broken pieces and put it back together. Don't you get it? When I met you, all that other shit became pointless. You were the only person who saw through that jackass armor I was wearing."

"You saved me too Eddie. I never, ever, ever thought someone like you could love someone like me."

"I hate that you think like that. Someone like you? "

"Eddie, for the first time in my life, you made me feel beautiful. You go through life listening to the things that people say about you, and you start to believe them. Sure it made me stronger, sure it made me kinder, but never did I believe that I was beautiful until you."

He grins at her, but the grin fades fast. "I never told you about Hannah for two reasons Janet. One, because I assumed she had may have already told you, and I was too embarassed to bring it up; and two, because she always begged me to keep it a secret. Trust me when I tell you that I wasn't the only one that summer."

"I know, Gavin Goddard."

"Yeah and Phyz."

"Phil?"

"Yeah, but that was after we really knew we'd lost Nick. She and I were fueled by assumption and lots of liquor. I was never sober when I was with her. That's why I remember half of what actually happened."

"Wow."

"Yeah, and I know, that makes me an ass, a hypocrite for getting so creased with you over Rooster. But, lying in that hospital room, I was scared. I finally realized that I loved you and I thought I was going to lose you too. That I could not bear."

Janet sighs and rests her head on Eddie's lap.

"So my beautiful, sweet Janet. That's it. I swear to you there's nothing else in my fucked up past that I am leaving out."

Janet lifts her head. "Eddie. You know what this means right?"

"What?"

"Sam. I know he's not Gavin's, Hannah already told me that, but what if he's yours?' 


	29. Chapter 29

Before Eddie can answer Janet's question, the screen door creaks open, startling them both. Hannah steps out on the porch, barefoot, her hair a mess, wrapped up in the blanket that is usually draped over the back of Janet's couch. She looks exhausted and sad, her eyes puffy from both sleep and crying.

"Eddie, can I talk to Janet alone?"

"Hannah, whatever you need to say to her, you can say in front of me." Eddie's hand grips Janet's protectively.

Janet pats his leg, and starts to get up from her knees . "Go on Eddie. Let me talk to Hannah."

"I'll be inside if you need me." He whispers as he leans down to press a kiss on her forehead. She nods, squeezing his hand.

Hannah comes over to the porch swing and sits down, wrapping the blanket tighter around her thin frame. "Sit with me Janet, please." Janet sits close to Hannah. "Want some blanket?" Without waiting for a response, Hannah rearranges the blanket to cover them both.

"I'm sorry about the divorce papers Hannah. Eddie told me."

"Yeah, well. " The tears fall from her eyes immediately.

Janet grabs Hannah's hand fiercely. "WE will get through this Hannah, you aren' t alone-you know that right?"

Hannah nods. She tilts her head back, blinking her eyes rapidly to try and stop the tears. "I don't want to talk about that right now. I can't think about it anymore tonight. We need to talk about what you and Eddie were discussing a minute ago. "

"Okay...how much did you hear?"

"Enough."

"And Nick?"

"Nothing. He's knocked out. I don't think he's had much sleep the past few days, between taking care of his dad and dealing with all my shit ." Hannah takes a deep breath, before continuing. " I realize I should have told you about sleeping with Eddie years ago, Janet-and I really should have when the two of you got serious. I just didn't know how. I am so not proud of how I acted after Nick left. I was a mess. I went to Eddie, the one person I knew would understand how I felt. To talk, to grieve. One thing led to another and we slept together. "

"Were you drunk too?"

"Uhm, no." She replies softly, shaking her head.

"Oh." Janet's voice trails off. She moves her gaze from Hannah to the porch floorboards.

"But it wasn't like some great thing Janet. The sex was terrible. Eddie was most definitely drunk, so wasted he probably thought I was too, but I wasn't. I was reckless and out of control. I was so pissed- at Nick and myself. I was trying to do anything I could to get him out of my head, to get back at him for leaving. I was already pregnant before I slept with Eddie. There's no way he is Sam's dad."

Janet's whole body goes limp with relief, although she hopes Hannah doesn't notice. She looks back over at her best friend and immediately knows. "Nick." she says.

Hannah nods. "I knew before he left, but I couldn't tell him. I had to let him go. After my birthday, when he sent me those flowers, I lost all hope. I knew he wasn't ever coming back and I lost it."

"Why didn't you tell him? Didn't he deserve to know?"

"Janet, you know how there's people who aren't cut out to live in a small town forever?" Hannah continues once Janet nods. "I always knew Nick was bound for bigger things...he was better than here. I knew if he found out I was pregnant, he would stay and he would marry me and live with the regret of not going to Europe forever. I had to let him go, completely."

"OK, but what about Gavin Goddard? How does he fit into this whole... " Janet searches for the appropriate word.

"Mess? You can say it...I slept with him one weekend when he was down here with his family. They are old friends of my parents."

"And he thinks he's Sam's father?"

"The only people besides my parents that know the truth are Eddie and Gavin, and now you. I told Eddie after the few times we messed around. Gavin was my mothers brilliant idea. She figured the Ridge would buy that Sam's dad was non-existant in his life because he lived in a different state, would believe that he sent money and came by once in awhile. She figured the town would forgive me having a baby out of wedlock easier if they pitied me."

"But that doesn't explain why Gavin would go along with the whole thing..."

"Call my mother, ask her, I never wanted to know. She kind of forced me into the whole thing. She was so pissed off at me that summer, I just went with whatever she said. I am pretty sure there's money involved in there somewhere."

"But Gavin has a ton of money."

"He does now, but back then? He was a starving college student. I never asked, but I assumed that's what my mother did."

"You could have told me Hannah, I'm your best friend."

"I know, and I wanted to so many times...especially after all that crap with Rooster and Rory happened. Look Janet, Eddie was never proud that he slept with his best friends girl. Eddie Latekka may be a lot of things, some good, some not so good. But you know what he is, the best thing about Eddie? He's fiercely loyal to his friends. I asked him to not say anything, and he never did, not even to you. And if there is one person on this earth he would have told it would have been you."

"And Nick."

"No, you. He never would have told Nick. Eddie has been trying to get me to come clean, be accountable ever since Nick came back. Eddie has always been there for me where Sam is concerned. Did you know he was offered a full scholarship to some college out in California? They wanted him to come play football. He didn't go because he decided to stay here until Nick came home. He deferred for a year, before giving it up completely."

Janet looks at Hannah, her mouth dropping open. "He never..."

"And he never will. You can't ever bring that up Janet. I begged him to go, but he wouldn't. He thought it was his duty to protect me and Sam until Nick returned."

Janet feels her heart swell with pride, and whispers, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation."

"What?" Hannah asks. But Janet shakes her head, not sharing her thought.

Janet recalls several years ago, sitting in the park under a tree, reading. She had taken a pen out of her purse to underline that one simple sentence. She had immediately thought of Eddie, not yet her boyfriend, but rather her improbable friend, sitting in her bar night after night, drinking and laughing with her. She could never really figure out why she equated the passage with him until now. Now she knew.

Janet notices Hannah has resumed her story. "So that's why my parents basically gave me their house when they moved to the Cape. I haven't ever really worried about money, what I make at the vet was always enough for me, Sam and the few bills. If anything big came up, my parents sent money and until Ray, Eddie handled all the boy stuff for me with Sam. Little league, video games, Star Wars..."

"Hannah, you have to tell Nick about this. Does Ray know?"

She shakes her head. "No. I never told him. I was going to, but then all that stuff happened. Eddie getting beat up, the wedding..."

"You don't owe Ray any explaination, but Nick, you have to tell him."

"God Janet, he's going to be so pissed off at me."

"I think he already knows Hannah. I think he's known from that first day he saw you at Murph's after all those years. He's probably been playing it cool. If you remember, that Pub Peanut Poll wasn't exactly a rousing success. He's waiting for you to tell him the truth. "

"Janet, I'm sorry about the couch, earlier. I didn't know my feet were in Eddie's lap."

"It's okay Hannah."

"No it's not. You and Eddie have come a long way, and I never want you to think that I would do anything to jeopardize that."

"I don't. Eddie and I are good. Really good."

Hannah smiles, "I am so happy for you Janet. I know Sam and I staying here hasn't been that easy for you two."

"It's fine Hannah, you can stay as long as you need to."

"No, I need to get out of your hair, get back to my life. Did Eddie tell you Ray trashed the house?"

"Yeah. He broke a bunch of stuff?"

"Stuff I can't replace. My grandmother's china, some picture frames...I never thought he would do that."

"I did. Hannah, I know I shouldn't say this...but Ray has a wicked mean streak. He's been like that ever since Nick came back to the Ridge."

"I guess I never wanted to see that."

"Why would you? He's your husband, you loved him, you thought he was someone he's obviously not. Where is he now?"

"Who knows? Nick said the Cataldo Builder's office is vacant. He's not in town, and now I keep hearing that he's got all these business owners looking for him for the crap jobs he did for them."

"Really?"

"Yeah, the only one on his crew that' s still in town is Matt Lauch, and he's not exactly singing Ray's praises. He's trying to say Ray paid him to beat up Eddie."

Janet resists the urge to scream, "Told you so!". Instead she just shakes her head. "Hannah, you need to watch out for Matt, he's evil."

"I know."

"We can figure all this out in the morning. It's too late tonight to decide anything. OK?"

Hannah nods. "Sam's at Doody's tonight, I am going to drive him down to the Cape to stay with my parents for awhile, I can't let him see the house the way it is."

"I"ll go with you. We can leave in the morning, early. Drop off Sam, have lunch with your parents, we'll take Maddie as a buffer." She smiles. "No one, not even your mother, can resist my baby's sweet face."

"Thanks Janet." Hannah's head drops onto Janet's shoulder.

"Anytime babe, anything for you, you know that right?"

Hannah nods, and starts crying again. Janet embraces her friend until she calms down. "Guess we know who wins the Batman contest huh?"

Despite her tears, Hannah laughs.

After tucking Hannah back on the couch with Nick, Janet pushes open the door to her bedroom. Eddie's on the bed, stretched out, arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling.

" Hey," he says when he hears her.

Janet shuts the door. "Hey you. Have I told you today that I love you?"

"Nope, you vetoed my advances this morning, then you came home creased at me. I am feeling a little neglected here Janet." Eddie jokes.

Janet sits on the side of the bed, next to him. She touches his face. "I'm sorry Eddie."

"For what? I'm the one who should be saying that to you ."

"It seems like we keep saying that to each other." She smiles at his beautiful face.

"I love you Meadows. I really love you."

Janet leans over and kisses Eddie on his forehead. She proceeds to place kisses all over his face until she reaches his lips. She runs her tongue over the rough, unshaven skin of his chin.

"Janet...don't..." Eddie groans.

"What?" Her lips kiss under his chin, down his neck.

"You know that drives me insane. It always gets the ball rolling. Hannah's still out there and so is Nick."

"This morning you said you could be quiet. " She teases him, flicking her tongue under his shirt collar.

"I can. But can you?"

She nods and stands. She removes her shirt in one quick motion. Eddie grabs her by the waist of her jeans. "Come here," he growls softly pulling her on top of him. "God, I missed you." His hands smooth her hair back off her forehead.

"I missed you too." She kisses him, using her tongue, as he runs his warm hands all over her back.

"You really think you can be quiet?" he whispers again.

She nods and unbuttons his shirt. She runs her hands all over his bare chest before he flips her over on her back.

There's something strangely intimate about their lovemaking that night. True to their word, neither one emits a word or a moan of pleasure as they move slowly, their eyes locked. Janet wishes they could stay like that forever, limbs entwined, sweat mixing togeher.

Eddie presses his mouth to her ear. "Janet..." His voice is weak, pleading, she knows it well. She wraps her arms and legs around Eddie tightly as she feels him let go. He rests his head on her chest, his breath ragged. After several minutes she realizes Eddie's crying, silently, his tears warm against her skin. She tries to move his head, to get him to look at her, but he furiously buries his face against her breast, refusing to lift his eyes to meet hers. Janet holds him, stroking his back, until they both fall asleep. 


	30. Chapter 30

Eddie closes his cell phone after listening to the voice mail Janet had left him. The message remained unchanged since the last two times he played it back. Janet's cheery voice assured him she would be at Best Friend Windows in plenty of time to pick up Mads for her baby gym class as two. The clock on his desk reads 1:56 PM.

"What's up Eddie?" Nick interrupts his train of thought.

"Huh?"

"You look, I don't know, worried or something."

"I can't get a hold of Janet, she's not picking up at home or on her cell and she was supposed to be here to take Mads to that gym thing down the street."

"In like four minutes?" Nick confirms, looking at his watch. " Isn't it always at two?"

"Yeah."

"Go, take Maddie, if Janet comes here, I will tell her to meet you and I'll call Hannah Jane and see if they got held up somewhere shopping."

"Thanks Nicky." Eddie scoops Mads up from the blanket on the floor. "Come on Mads, I guess it's you and me today."

As soon as the door shuts behind Eddie, the phone rings at the shop.

"Best Friend Windows, Nick speaking...Whoa, Hannah slow down...uh huh...WHAT? No, he just left to take Maddie to...Okay, calm down. I'll go get him and send him home."

Nick slams the phone down and runs out of the shop, not bothering to lock the front door and rushes down Maple Street, towards the baby class. At the gym he peers in the window, trying to catch Eddie's eye, but he's already in place on the mat, taking Mads' shoes off. Nick can tell he's listening to the instructor explain the day's activities so he quietly slips in the back door and inches over towards them, hoping to remain unnoticed.

"Ok, here's what's planned for today." The over-enthusiastic instructor sings. "We have a yoga-based movement class with music! This class is designed to specifically work your toddler's concentration and focus, physical strength, flexibility and self-confidence! This is totally interactive ladies, and uhm, Eddie. So let's take off your shoes and get on the mats!" She claps her hands as she goes over to the sound system.

"Dude, Mads, your momma is going to be so busted when we get home. Yoga?" Eddie makes a funny face as Mads laughs. Just as he's about to pull off his shoe, Nick taps him on the shoulder. Eddie keeps an eye on Mads, watching her pull off her socks, and whispers to Nick. "Not now, Nicky, I gotta do this til Janet gets here."

"Eddie, you have to get home. Something bad happened to Janet's grandparents. Hannnah called as you were leaving. She's with her now, but she thinks you should get over there too."

Eddie jumps up, freaking out. "Her grandparents? Nick...?"

"I don't know what goes on Eddie, just go. I'll stay for the class and I'll bring Maddie L. home."

"Dude, you know it's yoga?"

"Relax chief, I have done yoga plenty of times."

Eddie shakes his head, but runs out of the gym towards his truck.

Hannah is waiting on the porch steps when Eddie squeals into the driveway. He doesn't bother to shut the door as he jumps out of the cab.

"Hannah, what happened?"

"It's bad Eddie." Eddie notices that Hannah's been crying, and from the look of it, she's been crying a lot. She hands Eddie an envelope, at which Eddie barely glances.

"Hannah?"

"Go in there, she needs you."

Eddie bounds up the porch steps and into the house. "Janet?" he calls out.

The blinds are all drawn and the house is silent. Eddie finds Janet in the bedroom, curled up under the covers, facing the wall.

"Baby? Hey, Janet?" He speaks softly, carefully. He crawls onto the bed and leans over her, but Janet burrows deeper under the covers as a sob escapes from her throat. "Janet, I'm here, talk to me please." Eddie feels her flinch when he touches her shoulder.

Eddie sighs and sits back against the pillows. He glances down at the envelope Hannah pressed into his hand earlier. He turns it over, and immediately recognizes the cramped, slightly shaky handwriting of Janet's grandmother from the cards and letters she frequently sends. Eddie turns the envelope back over, removing the lavender monogrammed stationary which he unfolds and begins to read.

My Dearest Janet,

Late last night, your grandfather, the love of my life, suffered a terrible stroke, which affected his brain. Now, his poor body is just too weak to fight and recover. He slipped into a coma and the doctors all say that he's never going to wake, that it's irreversable. They did say, thankfully, it wasn't painful, and assured me that he probably didn't even know what had happened to him.

I sat with your Grandpa all night and I watched him breathe only with the help of machines. I cried until I no longer could and I cursed the same God that I worshipped my entire life. But, as I watched the sun rise this morning, God helped me come to peace. I am writing this to you, baby girl, to let you know the one thing I realize now. This world is a bittersweet world. Though I will never regret one minute of my life and would never question the path on which God led me, I have, at the ripe old age of 83 done three things I thought I would never have to do. Bury your mother, bury your father and now bury your grandfather. I simply do not have it in me to bury anyone else.

By the time this letter reaches you Janet, I too will be gone. I will lie on the bed next to your grandfather while they turn off the life support and wait as my love takes his final breath. Then I will take enough pills to stop my breath too. I cannot, will not, live without him by my side, just as he would not want to live without me. This, together, we decided long ago.

Janet, try and understand why I must do this. Please do not be angry with me. Hug and kiss sweet Maddie every single day and when you do tell her how much you love her. You have blossomed into a strong and lovely woman Janet, and I know you will love your friends and family as fiercely as I raised you to.

And finally, my beautiful Janet, I want you to realize that you have found something special in Eddie Latekka. So you do one last thing for your Grands and let that wonderful, handsome man take care of you and Maddie for the rest of your lives. Let him love you and love him back with your entire heart and soul. You deserve to be loved forever.

I will be with your Grandfather, and we will watch over you until you are one day with us again.

I love you very, very much,

Grandma

Eddie sets the letter down on the bedside table, noticing the overnight mailer envelope Janet must have set there earlier. He feels the muscles around his heart tighten as he remembers how idiotic he acted the day he tried to refuse Janet that trip to Providence. Had he stood his stupid ground and not gone with her, he would have missed meeting the two people who loved and cared for Janet when her parents died. He is glad they fatihfully made that long drive to Rhode Island twice a month after Mads was old enough to travel.

Eddie stands and pushes his shoes off without untying them. He removes his flannel shirt, and in just his t-shirt and jeans slips under the covers. He curls his long, lean frame against Janet whose only reaction is to contort her body tighter, away from him. Eddie persists, moves closer to her, wrapping his arm around her to keep her from moving further away.

"Janet," he whispers. "Talk to me, please." He feels her shake her head, tears fall onto his bare arm. "Baby, I am so fucking sorry."

Janet shifts, turning over to face him. Her face is blotchy and red, her eyes swollen and messy from her smudged mascara. The second she looks at him, she once again crumbles, losing all composure. Eddie wraps his arms around her and lets her wail, trying to absorb the horrible sounds coming from her body. He's not sure how long she cries, and is relieved when she finally falls asleep. He makes a small move to get up to go call Hannah and Nick, but Janet grabs for his shirt, exactly as Maddie does her blanket when she's ready for a nap.

"Eddie." she says, fear in her voice. "Don't leave me, please."

"No, I wasn't going...I was going to call..."

"No, please, please don't go."

"Hey, shhhhh." Eddie pulls her closer to him again. "I'm here as long as you need me."

"Where's Maddie?" she sniffles.

"With Nick at the baby gym."

"Nick?"

"Yeah, Hannah called him and he came and got me. He stayed to do yoga with Mads."

"Nick Garrett doing yoga?" The question comes out flatly, but he knows she's poking fun at Nick.

"Yeah, but get this, he's done yoga before, so Mads is in good hands." Looking down, he sees a small smile form at the corners of her mouth. He kisses her forehead before resting his there.

"Eddie? What am I going to do?" She whispers, "They were all I had left."

Eddie's words come angrily as he shakes his head. "What? No Janet, they weren't. I know this is a huge loss, but you have me and you have Mads."

"Oh, Eddie...that's not what I meant."

"I get it. Janet, you do realize what you have to do now?"

"Go to Providence, I know..."

"No, Janet, you have to let me be that man, the one your grandmother wrote about. You have to let me love you."

"Eddie, I do..."

"Janet, look at me." As she looks up at him, he smiles, slightly. "Can you let me do that?"

Her round blue eyes well up with tears again. "I have to go to Providence, Eddie. I have to go and do all the things I don't want to, the things that are going to kill part of me."

"I know, I will be there right there next to you."

Janet shakes her head. "No Eddie, I need to go with Hannah."

Eddie pulls back as if she struck him. "What?"

"Eddie, did I ever tell you how I met Hannah?"

"No." He's not sure how Janet and Hannah became friends is relevant now.

Janet sits up and draws her knees to her chest. She looks at Eddie as she begins.

"July 14th, 1997. I was sitting in that living room, watching some stupid show on the television, destined to have an uneventful summer. My Grands walked in the front door, with Hannah in tow. She had somehow convinced Hannah Jane Daniels, the most popular girl at Knight's Ridge Senior High School that she would get along swimmingly with me, her chubby and unpopular granddaughter."

"Janet..."

"Let me finish Eddie. Hannah was working part time at the vet then, that's where my Grands met her. She had gone in that day with our cat, Maizey, who'd been hit by a car. The vet was unable to fix her and they had to put her down. Hannah stayed in the room with Grands for hours, comforting her, talking to her. In turn, and you know my Grands, she pried all the things from Hannah that were going on; how she was pregnant, how Nick had left, how her mother was impossible to deal with since finding everything out. Grands convinced her to come to our house to heal and be loved. In one short week, Hannah and I were inseperable. I never knew she had the wild summer you all say she had that year, since she was at our house more than not. She made me her Lamaze coach and Sam's godmother and became the sister I never had. She was the one who was with me when I had to put my Grands in that fucking home, she was the one that cried with me every day for three straight weeks. So Eddie, I need you to please understand that it's Hannah that has to go and finish this with me. Not because I don't want you to, but because I need her."

Eddie looks at her and sits up on his knees in front of her. "OK, I get it. But Janet Edith Meadows, after this you are going to have to come back here and let me in-I mean really let me in your life. You say you have, but you haven't. No sitting around waiting for that other damn shoe to drop, no thinking that I am ever going anywhere. I need to be the most important thing in your life, next to Mads. I have to hold a place as high up as Hannah does and you have to trust me when I tell you I need that as much as I need to give it to you."

"I promise Eddie, I will be fully ready for a new chapter of my life when I get back. "

"Good, and just so you know, I am going to miss the hell out of those two."

Janet smiles up at him, touches his cheek. "I know Eddie, me too." 


	31. Chapter 31

Janet hoists one final box onto the stack of her Grands belongings that are going home with her. She places her hands on her hips and surveys the small room.

"Well," she says to Hannah, who is taping another box of clothing for donation. "One last visit from the boys at Goodwill and we will be done."

"How you holding up?" Hannah recaps the black marker she used to label the box.

"I'm ok. You?"

"I still can't believe they are gone."

Janet and Hannah arrived at the retirement home three days ago. Her Grands favorite nurse had greeted them early that morning amid hugs and tears. Packing up the things her grandparents loved; old family photos, a delicate, threadbare quilt made by Janet's great grandmother, letters they had sent to each other when her grandfather had been stationed at an Army base in North Carolina, had been harder than Janet thought. The second day was, by far, the hardest, it was the day that she and Hannah went to pick up the ashes.

Hannah hangs up her cell phone. "Well Sam took the news pretty hard, you know he loved your grandmother."

"You told him over the phone?"

"No, I called my mom last night while you were sleeping, she sat him down and told him this morning."

"Oh."

"Speaking of phone calls, have you called Eddie yet?" Janet watches as Hannah takes a box of the bed and sits on the edge to remove her sneakers.

"Not really. I talked to him for a few minutes this morning to check on Mads. He took her to get her cast off."

Their phone conversation had been, at best, strained. After Eddie had told her that Mads had been an excellent patient for the doctor and that he had taken her for a shared celebratory ice cream cone, Janet felt the overwhelming desire to hang up the phone. She didn't want to answer any of his questions about how she was holding up. She gave mostly one word answers, and begged off the call when she could hear anger taking over the concern in Eddie's voice.

"What goes on Janet? Why aren't you talking to Eddie?"

Hannah had loved watching her friend fall for Eddie Latekka. In the early weeks of the relationship, Janet had been giddy, whispering into her cell phone whenever Eddie called her on a break from work. The night Hannah went to see Janet at Sully's to confess about Gavin Goddard, she knew immediately she had slept with Eddie, even though they had gone an entire week without speaking after their stupid fight and misfired words. Janet had changed, she was less guarded, had seemed to settle into her relationship, realizing Eddie really did care for her. Things went to Hell shortly after that, and although they had found their way back to each other, she knew Janet was holding something back, hesitating.

"I just don't know Hannah. It's like I don't want him to comfort me. I'm pushing him away and I don't know why."

"I do."

"Well care to clue me in? He's so mad with me, but there's something else too. He's, I don't know..."

"He's sad Janet. "

Janet feels a lurch in her stomach. "Oh God, sad? You think he's sad again?"

"Yep, and you are scared."

"I'm not scared."

"Yes you are, scared of him leaving, scared of someone else coming in between you two again.'

"I don't..." Janet's too tired to argue with Hannah.

"Why are you scared?"

"Crap Hannah, I don't know. Maybe I feel like Eddie's there, but not all the way. Sure he stays over at my house every night, we have dinner, we talk, we play with Maddie, we have really great sex, but there is still part of him that's not there."

"Honey, you just described every man alive. But in your case that's bullshit." Janet looks at Hannah with wide eyes. "It's you Janet, you're the one holding back part of yourself. You still feel like you aren't worthy of Eddie Latekka. But Janet this isn't high school anymore, Eddie's not that guy. He learned a big lesson when Rory came back to town, he realized who he loved and that was you. Your grandmother was right, she knew you would do this."

"What?"

"She sent me a letter too Janet. It was at my house when I went home to pack to come up here. She told me that she knew you'd wrestle with your feelings for Eddie, freak over your insecurities. It's now my job to step in and pick up where she left off. "

Janet shakes her head, laughing. "Grands was one convincing broad."

"That she was." Hannah stands and grabs her pajamas from her suitcase. "I'm going to take a shower and hit the sack. We have a lot of shit to finish and a long drive home tomorrow. And we will most definitely pick this discussion up then."

While Hannah showers, Janet listens to the four messages Eddie has left for her. After taking her own shower, she comes out of the bathroom in her robe, a towel wrapped around her wet hair. Hannah's fast asleep, snoring lightly, so Janet sits on the floor, rests her back up against the wall and calls Eddie.

Eddie picks up his cell phone on the first ring.

"Hey." His voice, oh that voice. She knows he's in bed, almost asleep.

"Hi Eddie."

"How you doing?"

"OK... sorry I didn't call you back, it was a long day."

"Tell me." Janet relaxes, takes a pillow off the bed and stretches out on the hard floor. She'd rather be on the bed, but doesn't want to wake Hannah.

"Well, we went through all my Grands stuff today, boxed up all the important things. Goodwill came by and took some clothing and all the furniture , except the bed, which they are coming to get early tomorrow. Then we'll be on our way."

"Good, I miss you. Mads misses you like crazy. She keeps looking at that picture of you and Hannah on the fridge, points at it and says 'Mama.'"

Janet laughs, it's exactly what Maddie does whenever she sees a picture of Eddie. "How's my baby?"

"She's good, she's kind of babying her arm a little, but the doctor said that was to be expected. I did let her sleep in bed with me last night. She fell asleep when I was reading to her, and she looked too cute to move, but she's back in her crib tonight."

"Good, bad habits Eddie."

"I know...I know..." he sighs.

"How's work?"

"Great, we got two new bids submitted today. I think we are going to get the library job. Carter knows someone on the board over there, and we are the front runner."

"Eddie, that's great, I am so proud of you."

"Thanks. God I wish you were here right now."

"Oh really?" she giggles.

"Yeah, wanna talk dirty to me?"

His voice is so sexy, she immediately feels that familiar stirring in her crotch. "I can't Eddie, Hannah's sleeping like 2 feet away."

"Go out on the balcony."

"It's pouring."

"Fuck! I miss you."

"You're just horny..." she jokes.

"Well, yeah, but I miss you. I think about you all the time. So who gets stuck on the floor tonight?"

"Come again?"

"I've seen your Grands room. They don't have much space, and since you gave everything away except for the bed, I assume one of you gets the floor."

"No one gets the floor Eddie, the bed is big enough for us both."

"Really?"

"You are a dirty, dirty man Latekka."

"Yeah, and you love it. So you mean to tell me that you and Hannah have never, you know."

"What?"

"Experimented?"

Janet pauses before continuing. "OK, did I miss something? How did our conversation go from Hannah and I sharing a bed to a scene from girl on girl porn? Eddie, it is possible for two people to sleep in the same bed together platonically."

"Yeah? I used to stay at Nicky's all the time and I never slept in the bed with him."

"Because the attraction would be too much for you to bear?"

"No...what? Funny Meadows. So then, you've never thought about another chick?"

"Have you thought about another man?"

"Again, not funny. And no. But you...you just hesitated when I asked you. Do tell."

"There may have been someone I was attracted to, who may or may not have been a woman."

"Reeeeally. Let's hear it, and do not leave out the good stuff."

"Eddie..."

"Come on Janet, I am suffering over here without you."

"I bet your hand would tell a different story." She's well aware when Eddie isn't getting laid, he's very friendly with his right hand. Janet takes a deep breath. " Ok, I'll tell you, but you have to swear you will not discuss this with your friends."

"I swear."

"Swear on six months with no sex."

"You could never last six months, but I swear."

"One of the delivery drivers that comes into Sully's and I hit it off. She used to stick around after her delivery, have a beer, and we used to talk. We went out to dinner a few times, to the movies once. One time when she was delivering, a big storm headed in, and there was no way she was going back to Cradle Bay, so I invited her to stay at my place. I had no idea she was into girls when I did."

"Whoa, wait...are you talking about Jenny Beer Truck?"

"Jenny Beer Truck?"

"The chick that delivers Paul Revere Beer?"

"You know who Jenny is?"

"Remember when Big O choked on that chicken bone at Sully's?"

"I wasn't working that night, remember? That's the night you and I went to the football field at the high school."

"Yeah, I remember. You were choking on some..."

Janet interrupts him. "Eddie Latekka do not finish that sentence." Despite his vulgarity, she laughs.

"Wait, so Owen knows Jenny how?"

"She gave O Ro the old Heimlich that night. And that's when he fell in love."

"Wow. Small world."

"OK Janet, again, and don't leave out all the good stuff." Eddie never assumed that there were girls on the rouster of people Janet had been with. The thought made him hard, very hard. He unbuttons his jeans.

"She came over, we had some wine, we talked and then she kissed me."

"On the lips?"

"Yes perv, on the lips."

"And? Please God tell me there was tongue."

"Yes there was tongue, and yes I kissed her back. I think partially because I was a little drunk on the wine, and partially because I wanted to see what it was like to kiss a woman."

"And? Was it hot? It had to be hot. Please tell me it was hot."

"Calm down Champ. I guess it was. It was a little odd, totally different than kissing a guy. It was soft and sweet at first. I think she was worried that she was going to freak me out. But she moved it along."

"So you didn't just kiss her, you made out with her?"

"Yes."

Eddie lets out a low whistle and rearranges himself on the bed. He had seen Jenny in the bar a few times, Owen had introduced him briefly when they were having lunch at Sully's one day. She was hot. The mental picture of Jenny kissing Janet, her hands twining through Janet's curls was almost sensory overload.

"Is that all? Or is there more?"

"Not much. Kissing her was not the worst thing in the world, but it really wasn't for me. I stopped the whole thing when she..."

"Dude, when she what?"

"When she you know, went for the next base."

Eddie groans, loudly. "You didn't even let her feel you up?"

"Did I say that?"

"You did? Good Lord woman."

"Yeah, but I just couldn't really get into it. I stopped it right after she took off my shirt."

"What? Why? Are you crazy?"

"No, it just didn't feel right, I knew I would chicken out at some point, and decided that it was better to do it sooner rather than later."

"Man she must have been creased."

"Not at all, embarassed, maybe. We laugh about it now."

"So it didn't turn you on at all?"

"It did a little, when I went to bed..."

"Janet, please tell me you got yourself off? Lie if you have to."

"Yeah. And that's not a lie." She almost feels guilty at her admission.

"Why can't you be here right now? I would love to watch you touch yourself like you did that night."

"Eddie...I will be home tomorrow."

"Please tell me that you will do that for me. Please."

Janet laughs, a little too loud and hears Hannah stir in the bed. "For you Eddie, I will. Thank you."

"For what?"

"For not making me talk all about my Grands again tonight, for letting me think about something else."

"You're welcome, but Janet..."

"I know, I promise I will tell you everything that's gone on when I get home, but I needed to just forget for awhile."

"Glad I could help...and thank you."

"Me? What did I do?"

"Trust me when I tell you that I am going to be thanking you again in about fifteen minutes."

Janet realizes what he means. "Want me to stay on the line? Let me listen to you."

"Fuck I love you." Eddie groans as he unzips his jeans. 


	32. Chapter 32

"Out with it Meadows."

Janet looks over at Hannah expertly driving down the interstate holding a half eaten bagel in one hand, and steering with a full, hot cup of coffee in the other. Janet glances back at the road nervously.

"Out with what? Hannah, give me that coffee. You are going to kill us."

"Relax, I drive like this all the time."

"You have like, two fingers on the wheel." Janet holds out her hand for the cup and grimaces as Hannah takes another bite of bagel.

"I got it, relax," Hannah waves the bagel in Janet's face. "And don't change the subject, my friend. You have had this little smile on your face all morning, and I know you can't be that happy. You slept on the floor last night."

Janet smiles again as she thinks about her surprising phone conversation with Eddie. It was all she thought about this morning- the sounds that Eddie made on the other end of her phone last night- hard breathing, sexy moaning, the faint sound of skin slapping on skin... There was no way she was going to admit THAT to Hannah.

"I don't know Hannah, I am just really ready to get home-to Maddie and Eddie."

Hannah shoots her a look, with raised eyebrows.

"What? We talked last night." She shrugs, giggling. "It was a really good talk."

"I know I was a little harsh with you yesterday Janet. I'm sorry."

"It's ok Hannah, sometimes you just gotta give me a good swift kick in the ass."

They only stop once during their drive home, at a small gas station, to fill up the tank and use the bathroom. As they exit off the interstate towards Knight's Ridge, a huge billboard plastered with Ray Cataldo's smug face accosts them. Hannah averts her eyes and presses harder on the gas pedal.

"I wish they'd take that damn thing down." she says, bitterly.

"Ray hasn't called you?"

"Nope, not once. All correspondance comes directly from his lawyer. He got some big fancy Boston firm to represent him. They keep calling to ask me what I want from Ray. I guess they don't believe me when I tell them I want nothing. Nothing but the last five years of my life back."

"He should pay for all the shit he ruined in your house."

"He sent a contractor over last week to fix the bathroom sink downstairs and the cabinent door he ripped off in the kitchen."

"How...decent." Janet says, smarmily.

"I know, wasn't expecting that. It's like he just gave up. How can he just give up that easily?" Tears fall down her cheeks.

Hannah pulls up in front of Janet's house before Janet can answer. She puts the car in park and wipes her eyes.

"I think," Hannah points to the front yard, clearing her throat, "we might be interrupting high tea."

Nick and Eddie sit, awkwardly, on a blanket spread out on the lawn. Both are holding tiny plastic cups and saucers, Nick's pink, Eddie's blue, as Maddie tips the teapot carefully.

"Why, why can't we have a camera when we really need it?" Hannah laughs as she gets out of the car. Maddie turns, dropping her teapot when she hears the car door slam shut.

"Mama!" she screams, running across the lawn. Janet crouches down and opens her arms wide. She scoops Maddie up and places kisses all over her face.

"I missed this sweet face! How's your arm my baby?"

Maddie lifts her arm for Janet to inspect. "Gone?" she says.

"Yay! No more cast! Daddy said you were a good girl at the doctor yesterday. Did you get ice cream?"

Maddie's face breaks out into a grin. " Wee a whee wa!" She claps her hands, excitedly.

Janet looks at her daughter strangely. "What did you say Maddie?"

"That's apparently what she's calling ice cream. Took me forever to figure it out." Eddie leans in, kissing Janet on the lips. "Hey."

"Hi Eddie." She searches his face for any trace of embarassment from last night. Seeing none, she swats his rear as he walks away from her.

"I missed you too." He jokes, head turned back to smile at her. "Hey Hannah, throw me your keys, Nick and I will unload these boxes."

As Janet goes into the house, she pauses in the doorway, amazed. The entire place is spotless, everything in its place. The Sunday paper is folded on the coffee table next to a neat pile of Eddie's sports magazines. There are no dirty dishes in the kitchen sink and Maddie's toys, usually littering the floor, are all put away. The bed is made and the house smells clean, fresh, like vanilla. She smiles at the full basket of laundry on the couch, folded, waiting to be put away.

Janet heads back outside, still carrying Maddie, and peers into her small, one car garage. Her boxes were organized and on new shelving units built up against one wall. Hoses and tools were hanging from a peg board painted a soft green.

"Wow. Eddie."

"It wasn't all me. Ikey, Owen, Phil, Nick, they all helped. They wanted to do something nice for you."

"You remembered the peg board." Late one night as Eddie channel surfed, Janet had come across the peg board idea in an issue of Martha Stewart Living. Eddie had barely glanced at the magazine when she showed him.

"It took me fucking forever to find that damn magazine. You should really throw all those old issues out, it's a fire hazard."

"Eddie..."

"I know, Martha Stewart." He rolls his eyes.

She grins as Nick comes up the driveway with the last box from the car. He hands it to Eddie and turns to Janet. "Hey Janet, I'm really sorry about your grandparents." Janet nods, a lump forming in her throat, as Nick hugs her.

"Piggy Nick, piggy." Maddie demands and Nick turns around to let her climb on his back, hold onto his neck. "Hold tight Maddie L. This pig is about to fly." He gallops out of the garage to the lawn, towards Hannah who's cleaning up the tea party.

Janet snakes her arms around Eddie's waist as he pushes the box onto a shelf. "Thank you for doing this, and for cleaning the house."

Eddie leans back, turning his head to kiss her cheek. "Did you see? I even did laundry."

She giggles. "I did. You must really want to get laid huh?"

Eddie twists his body around to face her. "Janet, I know you had a rough couple days. I wanted you to come home and not have to worry about laundry or vaccuuming."

"I'm sorry. I really appreciate everything you did."

He smiles and kisses her lips. Pressing his mouth to her ear, he whispers. "And I fully plan on getting laid tonight."

As Janet peers in the freezer for something to make for dinner, Eddie suggests they try a new restaurant in town.

"They have an outside area, we can bring the dog."

They pack up Madison in her stroller, clip the leash on Saffron's collar, and walk, leisurely, towards town. On Jefferson Street, Janet spots Rooster a few feet ahead, coming towards them. She feels her shoulders tense, fully expecting a confrontation.

"Hey Janet. Eddie." Rooster waves.

"Russo."

"Hey Rooster."

"I ran into Sully today and he told me about your grandparents. Janet, I'm so sorry." He leans in to give Janet a hug, as Eddie clenches his jaw.

Janet breaks the awkward embrace quickly. "Thank you Rooster."

Rooster bends down. "Well, hi there Maddie. You sure are getting big." He gently picks up her foot. "Look we have the same shoes, mine are just a little bit bigger." He stands and shows his Converse to her. She shyly smiles at him.

"Rooster, we have to get going, we're on our way to dinner. It was good to see you."

As Janet pushes the stroller ahead, Rooster catches Eddie's arm. He leans in, whispering to Eddie. "Watch her carefully the next few days Eddie. She's bound to break when this really hits her."

Eddie squints as he looks at Rooster, recognizing something familiar. Sadness. But in Rooster's eyes, on his face, it's mixed with love. For the first time he realizes exactly how hard it is for Rooster Russo to watch Janet choose to love someone else.

"I will Russo. You take care you hear?" Eddie claps him on the shoulder and strides to catch up with his three girls.

At home, after dinner, the house turns to chaos. Maddie runs around at breakneck speed, dragging toy after toy into the living room, refusing to go to bed. The dog trots excitedly after her.

"See Latekka, this is why you don't give a kid soda."

"It was a sip."

"Yeah, followed by some of your dessert. She's on a sugar high from Hell."

Eddie groans as he looks at the clock, it's quarter of nine and all he wants is Janet alone, possibly naked, but definitely alone.

"Hey Mads. Let's show mama what you learned while she was away."

Maddie pauses, and cocks her head as if to say "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"What time is it?" Eddie asks her.

"Dude, you taught her how to tell time?"

Eddie grins as he shakes his head. "Mads?"

"Night!"

"That's right. And what did we decide that you are going to do for mama every night before bedtime?"

Maddie bends down and picks up her babydoll with a missing leg and a truck. She runs into her room and Janet hears her pitch the toys in her chest. She goes back and forth several times as Eddie stretches on the couch, hands behind his head, grinning.

"Pretty proud of yourself huh, buddy?"

"Nah, that right there? Sheer laziness on my part. Made it into a game and she fell for it. I fully expect it to backfire when she realizes I'm making her work."

Maddie comes out of the room, clutching her pajamas. "Here Da." She throws them in his lap.

"Good going Mads." They high five. "You did great. Let's get you changed and brush your teeth. Then you can pick out a book before bed ok?"

"Okay!" she yells, taking off for the bathroom.

"Impressive." Janet admits as she goes in the kitchen. "Want me to make coffee?"

"Nope, not unless you want some."

Janet flips up the laptop to check her e-mail as Eddie follows Madison to the bathroom. She deletes the junk from her inbox and replies to Pizza Girl's invitation for coffee in the morning. Grabbing the stack of mail on her table, she settles back on the couch, rifling through the bills and magazines. Maddie comes back in her pajamas, smelling of toothpaste, clutching a book and her blanket.

Eddie sits on the couch and groans as Maddie shoves the book in his lap. He hands it to Janet. "You get to read tonight. I can't do 'Hop On Pop' again."

Janet stares at the book. "Where did this come from? "

"Bookstore, Nicky took her there while I was at the dentist."

"Ah. Ok Maddie, let's read this." She opens the book and begins to read. By the end of the book, Janet's tounge is twisted and Maddie's fast asleep. Eddie takes her carefully from Janet's arms to her room.

"Finally." he says, collapsing back onto the couch, close to Janet. "That girl runs on nine all day."

"I know, I bet you are exhausted." She places her hand on his leg.

Eddie leans in, kissing her neck. " Not that exhausted."

"Mmmm that's nice, I like that." She reclines on the couch, pulling Eddie on top of her.

Eddie's hands roam over her body as he uses his tongue on her neck, leaving a wet trail leading down to the dip in her shirt. He slips his large, calloused hand up her top to her breast, fingers discovering her erect nipple.

"I hope you weren't fucking with me last night."

Janet pushes him up a bit with her hands on his chest. "What?"

"You remember what you said you'd do for me tonight?"

Janet blushes, her voice a whisper. "Yeah, I remember."

"Well? You didn't think I would forget did you?"

"Eddie."

"What? You promised, as a matter of fact, I think I asked you to do it a long time ago...and you never did."

"I don't know if I can."

"You've done it with me before."

"Sure, while we were having sex, or right after to come, but never while you just, like, watched."

"So- not a big deal. I know what your puss..uh...what it looks like, I love what it looks like. Watching you get yourself off is going to drive me crazy baby."

"Not out here Eddie."

"Wherever you want, whatever makes you comfortable." Eddie stands and pulls Janet up off the couch. "I have an idea. Would a shower relax you?"

"Actually, yeah, it would."

"Good. I'll go start it for you."

Janet takes off her clothes in the bedroom and slips on her robe. She goes into the bathroom, which is foggy from the steam of the shower. Her favorite candles are lit and the window's opened just a crack, letting in the cool night air.

"I think it's hot enough for you. I got a third degree burn when I tested the water."

"Funny Latekka. You sure are setting the mood in here."

He holds back the shower curtain as she opens her robe. "You're still dressed."

"I am. I thought you would want to take your shower alone."

"Think again dude. You got twenty seconds to meet me in there." Janet drops her robe and steps into the shower.

Eddie strips, and with six seconds to spare, slips in behind her. He immediately wraps his arms around Janet, pushes her wet hair to the side and gently bites the back of her neck. Janet turns around to face him, her big, blue eyes full of tears.

"Can you hold me?"

Eddie nods and immediately his arms envelop Janet tightly, fiercely. He strokes her back as she clings to him, the water drumming against their skin. They stand together, wordlessly, until the water cools and Janet shivers.

"Hey, you're cold. Eddie says. "Let me turn the water hotter."

Janet nods as she grabs the bottle of body wash and squirts the liquid in her hand. She shares some with Eddie and they lather each other up slowly. Eddie grins before leaning in to kiss her.

Eddie whispers into her ear. "I understand if you don't want to, but I really, really want to watch you Janet." He nips her earlobe gently.

Janet rinses her body off, then pushes Eddie under the shower head to do the same. She reaches down and turns off the water. Grabbing two towels, she tosses one to him as she wraps the other around her body. She takes Eddie's hand as he steps from the shower and, grabbing a candle, leads him into the bedroom.

Rather than turning down the bed, Janet reclines on top of the blankets, against the pillows. She boldly undoes the towel and lets it fall from her body. She smiles as Eddie's eyes urge her on.

Janet's hands trail down her neck to her breasts. She cups them before pulling gently at her pink nipples, which react immediately. She licks her finger and circles the nipple again, making Eddie moan.

"Lean over here," she whispers. "Now blow on my nipple." Her body tingles as she feels his warm breath.

"Do you do that? Blow on them like that?"

She nods. "Sometimes."

"Wow..." he smiles.

She closes her eyes as her hands move over her body, her skin still damp from the shower. Instead of shirking away from her curves, her rounded belly, she lingers, as if she were alone.

"That's it baby, you're so beautiful." Eddie's hand touches hers. "Keep going."

Janet gulps as she presses her hands between her legs. She pauses, wondering if she has it in her to continue.

Eddie's voice is soft in her ear, prompting her to look at him. "Open your legs baby, please. Let me see."

Janet repositions herself on the bed. "Sit in between my legs. The view will be better." She boldly winks. "And you might want to lose that stupid towel Eddie. Give me a little eye candy"

Sitting up on his knees, he yanks off the blue towel, throws it off the side of the bed and rests back on his heels.

As Eddie gently uses his hands to pry open her thighs, Janet studies his body. Although she's seen him naked hundreds of times, she now regards him as she did their first night together. His honey brown hair is messy and wet. A beautiful smile spreads over his beautiful, unshaven, face. The muscles in his arms ripple under his skin as he rubs his hands over her inner thighs. Janet's eyes finally rest on his perfect, erect, throbbing cock. She loves that this magnificent man is hers. She can do this for him.

"I loved hearing you last night Eddie."

"Yeah?" He grins as he leans over her, opening the bedside table. His erection bumps her hand, and she seizes the opportunity to stroke him gently. He raises his right eyebrow as he extracts a bottle of lube, squirts some in his hands, rubs them together to warm the liquid.

"Will it help if I do it with you?"

She nods.

"Need some of this?" He tries to hand her the bottle of lube.

"Uh, no. I'm wet enough."

Eddie's hand goes in between her legs. "Oh God, you are. Shit that's hot. Show me Janet, get off for me baby. "

She slowly begins teasing herself, fingers trembling through her wetness, blood rushing to her center. As she circles her clit with one finger, an intense heat makes its slow crawl up her thighs. Usually she eases off her clit when the heat becomes too much, burns her thighs. Tonight, she keeps circling, pushing through, embracing the heat. She groans as Eddie starts stroking himself. Finally, she relaxes, closing her eyes, concentrating on the pleasure from her fingertips.

"Janet, don't close those eyes, look at me." Her eyes spring open, locking with his.

Together they moan and pant as they watch each other, murmuring graphically delicious words.

"Oh God, Eddie? I am going to come so hard."

His voice is ragged, pleading. "Yeah baby, me too...come with me Janet. I want to watch you make yourself come for me." His hand picks up speed around his engorged penis.

Eyes never leaving each other, they shout out loudly as they shudder and spasm.

Janet's arched back relaxes as Eddie grins, standing up. "Don't move lady."

He disappears into the bathroom, and Janet hears the water running.

He returns, picking his towel up from the floor to dry off his hands. "Sorry. I had to..."

"I got it Eddie."

"Now," he says, crawling over her on the bed, resting on his side facing her, one arm across her chest. "Was that so hard?"

"It was a few minutes ago, now it's all sad and limp."

"Funny Meadows." he murmurs as he kisses her cheek.

"No Eddie, surprisingly, that wasn't hard at all."

"You look beautiful when you come, you know that? I've always thought so."

"No, but I'll take your word for it. You're not so bad yourself."

"I'm glad you're back."

She snuggles into his chest, lightly biting his nipple. "I am too."

"Keep that up Meadows and I might have to fuck you."

Janet looks up at him, raising her eyebrow, and bites his nipple again. 


	33. Chapter 33

"Eddie. Wake up." Eddie feels a finger nudge his ribs gently.

"Eddie." The finger again, sharp, poking this time.

"What? What's wrong? Is something wrong?" He sits up, looking around the room.

"Damn it Janet." He flops back on the bed and closes his eyes. "I was totally sleeping."

"Eddie." Janet turns on her side, facing him, kisses him on the cheek then his mouth. He knows that kiss. It's the timid kiss Janet always gives when she's trying to seduce him.

"Now? Again?" He turns his head and slowly opens his eyes.

She smiles and nods. Eddie feels his penis slowly start to rise. Truth be told, he'd rather go back to sleep. They had made love, long and sweet, right after watching each other masturbate. He is exhausted.

"Janet, baby, I don't know if I can..."

Janet slips her hand under the covers and wraps it around his throbbing penis. "Oh, I think you can Batman."

"What time is it?"

Janet leans into him, whispering into his ear, voice teasing. "Who cares? Were here, I can't sleep."

"But I can...I was...sleeping." He groans.

"Come on Latekka, you gonna pass up a chance to fuck?"

Eddie regards her strangely. Where is Janet, the girl who usually waited for him to start their lovemaking? The girl who had to be talked into trying new positions, who had to make change of locale a dare, who was still afraid he might reject her advances? And how seriously hot is it that she is now begging to fuck, for the second time that night?

Janet throws the covers off of their bodies.

"Ahh. Cold. Janet..."

But she's smiling, she's laughing, she's straddling him and the temperature suddenly becomes a non issue. Her tongue is flat against his neck as she presses her crotch to his, opening her thighs and rubbing herself up and down the length of his shaft.

"Damn baby, you're already soaked."

She giggles as she kisses him deep, pushing her tongue into her mouth, licking the roof of his mouth. Eddie runs his fingertips down her back, then back up, under her top, feeling her warm, smooth, silky skin.

"Take off this stupid shirt Janet."

She reaches for the hem and pulls it off in one fluid motion, tossing it to the side. Eddie presses his hands gently into her lower back, pushing her body up until her breasts are in his face. His tongue snakes out, under the round globe , flicking, then circling until he reaches her pink, rosy nipple. He licks the nub , turning it hard with his rough tongue. He gently bites, hearing her moan.

"Harder, Eddie."

He bites harder, then sucks, then bites even harder.

"Yes...that's so good baby." Eddie pops her nipple from his mouth and blows on it as she moans louder. He feels her wetness flood over his cock, now completely awake.

Janet pushes her body up, as Eddie brushes his thumb against her clit. "Wanna ride baby?"

He watches as she blushes, her hair falling over her shoulders. "Give me a break." He laughs. "Don't go all shy on me now, Meadows."

Janet jerks her head back up, looking him square in his eyes as she reaches between their bodies. Her hand wraps around his penis, wet from her. She wiggles her body until she's in a good position, then guides him in, lowering herself slowly onto his hard on. He watches intently as she starts to move, slowly, taking every inch.

Eddie slips his hands under her thighs, to her ass, cupping her, guiding her on and off of his cock.

"That feel good baby?" She nods, as she begins to pick up the pace. "That's it, ride me good baby..."

Eddie watches as Janet arches her back, lifting her hair off her neck with both hands. Her breasts sway and he brings his hands up to massage them as she starts to moan louder.

"God Eddie, you feel so fucking good."

"Janet, shhh, not so loud. You don't want to wake Mads."

"You don't like it when I'm loud?" She raises her brows as him, not once breaking her stride.

"Yeah, you know I love it when you're loud, but..."

"Then shut up, and let me fuck you."

And she does. Hard, slow and loud.

"Fuck baby" she screams. "I am going to come...so hard all over you."

"Let go baby, I wanna really feel you when you come."

Janet picks the pace up, still riding him hard. Eddie lifts his hips to go deeper. He bucks up into her as he feels her muscles start their familiar contractions around him.

"That's it Janet, good god..." Eddie realizes he's yelling as loud as she is, and it's seriously hot. This one's going down in the book. Albeit in his mind, it's still going in the book.

"Eddie. Fuck! That's it..." Janet's body jerks and shakes as he thumbs her clit so she will come with him.

She collapses on him, panting and sweaty.

"Ok, Janet? Seriously fucking hot."

She laughs and kisses his nose. "Glad I woke you?"

"You can say that..."

Eddie pulls the covers back up as she cuddles into him.

"Sleep? Please?"

"Mmmmhmmm."

An hour later, Eddie turns over in bed, he blinks his eyes open realizing the light is on, dim, but still on. Janet is sitting up, knees drawn, book in her lap, reading.

"What's up?"

"Hmmmm?" She slowly looks over from the page at Eddie. "Did I wake you with the light?"

"No..." he lies. "Yes...I don't know. Why aren't you sleeping? You should be exhausted. You drove all morning from Providence, you've been running all day after Mads, you did three loads of laundry, and, if memory serves, you came three times."

Janet sets her book and glasses on the bedside table and runs her hand through Eddie's hair, smiling. She picks up his hand, kissing his long, extended fingers.

"Janet? What goes on? " He whispers. "Talk to me."

Janet opens her mouth, then closes it. She smiles at him again. "I just can't get enough of you tonight Eddie."

"Bullshit. TALK TO ME."

Janet starts to nod her head, but instead of talking, she flips the covers down off her body. At some point, she put on a short, black, satiny gown with thin straps. She kneels on the bed, smiling at Eddie, leaning over him. He can see straight down her gown, her breasts hanging, swaying slightly, her nipples erect. She kisses his chest, licking his nipple.

"Janet..."

Her hands roam over his stomach, arousing him despite his annoyance with her at this very moment. She kisses his mouth.

"Eddie, " she whispers, "Get behind me, let's try it like that."

"You hate doggy style Janet."

"But you love it, right?"

"Well...yeah..." He nods.

"When was the last time we did it that way?"

Eddie tries to remember.

"Remember, that night in the kitchen? You came up behind me, turned off the water? Kissed my neck the way I love?"

Eddie remembers. She'd been wearing a skirt that day. Skirts were rare on Janet, and he took advantage of them every single time.

"Remember, you hiked my skirt up, pulled my panties down, then..."

Eddie closes his eyes, remembering. It was the first time Janet ever let him get on his knees in front of her. She had let him push open her thighs and had gripped the edge of the counter as his mouth pleasured her. When she was trembling, panting, could barely stand, Eddie turned her around, pulled out his throbbing cock and pushed right into her. Their fuck that night took all of five minutes. Five sexy, hot, fulfilling minutes.

"Eddie, hello?"

"Yeah, I remember." He wants her to talk to him, but hell if he was going to pass up a chance to fuck her from behind. He quickly gets behind her on the bed, pushing her down on her hands and knees. She moans, loudly.

"Hey, sorry...did I hurt you?"

"No...get in me Eddie." She looks back at him. "Fuck me."

Eddie doesn't have to be asked twice. He pushes into her, meeting little resistance. Instead of holding back, going slow, easing her into the position, Eddie moves in her fast. Janet's moaning louder, almost as loudly as she had earlier.

After a minute of hard thrusting, Eddie realizes there's something off. He stops.

"What's wrong Eddie?" She looks back over her shoulder.

"Janet, don't fucking wake me up for sex and then fucking fake it."

"What?"

"You are totally faking it. The moaning, the panting...fake. What the fuck?"

"Eddie...I don't...It's just...I don't like it this way."

"Fine then." Eddie stands, pulling out of her. "Turn around."

"Eddie..."

"Janet, turn the fuck around."

She turns to face Eddie, sitting on the bed.

"You want to fuck, we'll fuck. But do not ever fucking fake it with me. Not you...not with me." Eddie grabs her ankles and pulls her to the edge of the bed.

"Lie back. Now wrap your legs around my waist." He bends his tall frame slightly to allow her to hook her ankles around his back. Eddie pushes himself back into her.

This time there's no faking. There's no moaning. Just Eddie staring at Janet, not understanding, but trying to give her what he thinks she needs.

After, they crawl back into bed, pulling up the covers. The space between them like a canyon.

"Turn out the light Janet, go to sleep."

In the morning when Eddie wakes up, the blankets are once again off his body. Janet's between his legs, hands stroking him up and down.

She looks up once, smiles, takes him in her mouth and proceeds to give him one of the best blow jobs of his life.

As Janet relaxes back on the pillows, obviously pleased with her performance, Eddie wordlessly gets up from the bed and heads for ashower. He emerges from the bathroom a half hour later, dressed.

"Where are you going Eddie?" Janet watches as he puts on his work boots, bending over to tie them.

"Work."

"But it's Sunday."

"I've got a lot of shit to do."

"Oh...do you want me to make you..."

"No, I'm not hungry."

"Ok..."

Eddie walks over to the bed and leans over to kiss Janet on her forehead.

"I'll see you later Janet."

"Eddie? What's wrong?"

"Janet, I don't know what's up with you. But you're going to have to talk about it. I would prefer it was with me, but that's your choice. I'll see you later."

Janet waits to cry until she hears his truck back from the drive. 


	34. Chapter 34

Eddie parks his truck and walks into Best Friend Windows, Nick is already sitting at his desk with his head in his hands.

"Rough night?" Eddie asks.

"Yeah, you could say that."

"I know what you mean pal."

"You know what we need Eddie?"

"Coffee?"

"No, but I made a pot."

He watches Eddie as he gets up and pours the steaming black liquid into a mug. "Want some?" Eddie holds the mug towards Nick, but he shakes his head.

"We need to get out of town Eddie."

"We can't just leave." Eddie stirs some sugar into his coffee.

"Why not? The Commander is doing better, we don't have a new job starting for two weeks, our last job will be in the can once we finish all this damn paperwork and Sneaky Pete is dead."

"Dude? Sneaky Pete died?"

"Yeah like two months ago."

"Really? How did I not know that?"

"Life Eddie...it gets in the way."

"Apparantly it didn't get in Sneaky Pete's way."

Nick shoots a look towards his friend. "Too soon?" Eddie asks, sheepishly.

Nick nods.

"Ok, I don't get it Nicky." Eddie sits on the corner of his desk, blowing on his coffee. "What does Sneaky Pete dying have to do with us?

"Sneaky Pete left something behind, something big. I guess there's been a vacation home that's been in his family for years down in Cradle Bay."

"Ok."

"He left it to The Commander and his friends to share."

"Really? That huge house right on the water?

"Yup."

Every summer the Garrett's packed up their car and headed to Cradle Bay for two weeks. Eddie, Owen, Phil and Ikey were always invited.

"We had some times there remember?"

"Yeah, I think we should go down there for a week, bring everyone with us and get out of the Ridge."

Eddie sits at his desk, turning on his computer. "You know Nicky, that might just be a good idea. Janet's kind of a mess right now."

Eddie's not proud he left Janet the way he did. She looked sad when he kissed her on her forehead. He wanted to stretch out on the bed, gather her in his arms and hold her. But he knew she wouldn't talk to him. Afraid she would seize another opportunity to try and have sex with him, he walked away.

"A mess? Because of her grandparents?"

"I guess. She won't talk to me. I tried to ask her about it last night, but she avoided my questions."

"She wouldn't talk at all?"

"Not about that. She just kept distracting me."

"Distracting? How?"

Eddie looks at Nick. "I can't say."

"Eddie, you can tell me anything. I'm your best friend."

Eddie takes a deep breath, then continues. "Sex, Nicky. Lots of sex."

Nick laughs. "And that's a bad thing?"

Eddie can see Janet perfectly balanced on his cock, fucking him, her breasts bouncing, nipples between his pinching fingers, as she smiles and moans. His crotch twitches, and he's glad he's sitting behind his desk.

"Well, normally no, but under the circumstances?"

"Maybe it made her feel better?" Nick guesses.

"Dude, we set a serious record last night. I have never, and I mean never, had that much sex within a twelve hour period."

"How much are we talking?"

Eddie shakes his head. "Nick...I'm not telling you that."

"Three?"

Eddie smiles as he shakes his head again and holds up five fingers.

"Whoa. I don't think I ever...well, once."

"Hannah?"

"No, I was seeing this older chick in New York for awhile, a photographer. Blonde, tall, long legs."

"Nice, what happened there?"

"She broke it off, said she liked me too much to trap me into something serious. Said I wasn't ready, I was too young."

"Did you want to be trapped?"

"I thought I did, but it just made me think about Hannah and the Ridge, as fucked up as that sounds. That's when I started writing my book."

"Remind me to thank her if I ever meet her." Eddie says, bitterly.

"Hey, I thought we were past all that?"

"We are. I just reserve the right to get a little creased about it once in awhile." He looks at Nick.

"Fair enough. So you think a week in Cradle Bay is a good idea?"

"Yeah, but we got some major convincing to do."

"I know. Big O will be down to go, what about Ikey?"

"I don't know if that's gonna fly chief. O comes with Allison and the kids...I don't know if they will be comfortable. I know O and Ikey are better, but..."

"True, Ikey is all wrapped up in Emily though, she's been out with him every night this week. Maybe it would be a non-issue?"

"What the Hell does she see in Ikey?"

"Exactly what we do. David Eichorn, makes bad decisions all the time, but is still a good guy."

"Yeah. Well, maybe we leave Ikey here to run the shop?"

"Yeah, and let Ronnie help."

"Baby bro still seeing Aubrey?"

"Yeah, it's weird, you know, but I'm sort of glad. We would have split over all this Hannah and Sam stuff anyhow. Maybe Ronnie and Ikey can come for just the weekend, and if it gets wierd, we kick them out."

Nick, what the fuck am I going to do about Janet?"

"Well for starters, keep your clothes on next time you are around her."

"Nick..."

"Did you turn her down at any time last night?"

"No...I tried, but...how am I the bad guy here?"

"Sorry, look Eddie, obviously she's grieving. People cope in different ways. Look at me, I ran as far away as I could. I didn't want to be in this town, it reminded me so much of my mother."

"But she's not running Nicky, she's not crying, not smashing anything..."

"Avoidiance."

"What do you mean?"

"Sex? Five times in one night?"

"I would like to think that she wanted to fuck me Nick. I didn't force it. Hell, I didn't even start most of it."

"She probably did, that didn't come out how I meant. She's doing that, fucking you, instead of facing reality, instead of talking about how the loss is affecting her."

"How do you figure?"

"It's typical avoidance behavior, coping mechanisms. At least that's what I learned when I took a bunch of psychology courses."

"Classes? When?"

"Eddie, I was gone for ten years. What do you think I was doing in New York that whole time?"

"Boning hot older chicks."

"No, that was you."

"They weren't all older." Eddie smiles.

"I didn't write my book right away. I went to NYU, got my degree before I did all that."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"You think you know a guy..."

"Here's what I'm going to tell you Eddie. There's probably a lot going on with Janet right now, way more than her grandparents deaths. Didn't you say her parents are gone too?"

"Yeah, they died a long time ago, in a car accident, which is why she lived with her grandparents."

"So she's lost the four of the most important people in her life, way before she should have. She had to deal with losing both of her parents at the same time, and then her grandparents in a sort of unusual way."

"But why won't she talk to me. I love her, she knows that."

"She does, but sometimes that's not enough. When someone dies, you lose a little bit of yourself, part of you gets buried with them. She might be thinking that her shit, the stuff she is dealing with is too much for you, for Hannah, for anyone to understand."

"But it's not."

"No, but she doesn't know that. I didn't."

"Is that why you left?"

"No, I left to go to Europe. I was supposed to go with Hannah Jane remember? I fully intended to come back after six weeks. ButI kept thinking about what my mom said to me before she died. She made me promise to never settle for anything less..."

"Than the unexpected adventure." Eddie interrupts.

"You were listening that night..."

"Yeah. I was still pissed as Hell at you, but I was glad you came back. I missed you. And I mean that in a totally non-gay way."

"I missed you every single day Eddie. And I mean that in a totally non-gay way." He grins.

"So, how exactly do I get Janet to talk to me?"

"You don't. You wait, you let her come to you, and then you listen. Listen to everything she tells you. It might be hard, it will be hard. She might be angry, blame others, be depressed, be sad. You are going to want to jump in, hold her and try and make it better-and you might, but you cannot get mad at her if you can't. Janet has to grieve in her own way. "

"So she's going to push me away?"

"She might. But don't go anywhere Eddie. Assuming you want to help her through this?"

"Huh?"

"Can you be that guy? The one that grabs her when she falls?"

"I can."

"Good. Hey Eddie, mind if I skip out for a bit? I got to get some prescriptions filled for the Commander."

"Sure."

Eddie watches as Nick slips his wallet and cell phone in his pockets.

"Hey Nicky? Thank you."

"For what?"

"Coming home." 


	35. Chapter 35

Janet Meadows had never considered herself a crier. The tears that started when Eddie left her alone in bed, did not stop. She gave Maddie her bath, dressed her, fed her Cheerios and milk, while her tears slipped slow and quiet. When the doorbell rang, she cried harder when she opened the door to find Pizza Girl and Emily, forgetting she'd agreed to go to coffee. She begged off, and was grateful when Emily suggested she and Pizza Girl take Maddie and Saffron to the park. Shutting the door behind them, she sobbed as she made her way to the kitchen. She pulled out her grandmother's cookbook to make a pie, a vain attempt to cheer herself up. Janet had expertly mixed flour, butter and water, coaxed it into a crust, rolled it out and formed it to the pie pan. The tears fell freely down her cheeks the entire time. She quickly peeled, cored and sliced the tart Granny Smith apples, mixing them with sugar and cinnamon. She sat on the floor of her little kitchen, back up against the cabinents, lost in thought and sobbing until the timer buzzed on the stove. She removed the pie, hot, perfectly fragrant and bubbling from the oven, and set it on the counter to cool.

Janet sits on her couch, endlessly flipping through the channels on her television, skipping any program that might bring further tears. It was only noon, and she was exhausted, her eyes tight. She tosses the remote to her side when she hears another knock at her front door. Shuffling across the floor, she opens the door. She doesn't bother hiding her surprise when she finds Nick Garrett standing on her porch.

"Hey Nick." She wraps her grandfathers' oversized cardigan tighter around her frame, hoping Nick doesn't notice she's braless under her thin t-shirt. "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, sorry to just come over without calling. Can I come in for a second?"

"Sure." Janet opens the door, letting Nick in. She wipes her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater as she closes the door. She tries a weak smile as she turns around.

Nick immediately smells the vanilla and cinnamon. "Baking?" he asks, taking off his coat and draping it over the back of a chair.

"Yeah, I do that when I need to think, or not think, you know? Can I get you something? I just made some coffee."

"No, I'm good."

"Pie? I made apple." She pauses, before adding, "For Eddie. It's his favorite."

"No, thanks. Hey Janet, sit with me for a minute?"

"Ok" Janet sits down on the opposite side of the couch from Nick. Nervous, she fiddles with the buttons on her sweater.

"I know I might be out of place here, I barely know you, I mean you're dating my best friend, you're Hannah's best friend..." Nick pauses before continuing. "I really like you Janet."

"Uh Nick?" Janet raises an eyebrow at him.

He starts laughing. "Sorry, that kind of came out wrong, huh?"

She laughs too. "A little."

"Janet, I just came by to see if you're ok, I mean, all things considered. I know you must be keeping a lot of stuff bottled up in there, and if you want or need to talk to someone, I'm a pretty good listener."

Janet blinks back tears as she looks at him. Nick continues.

"Eddie really wants you to talk to him, so does Hannah, but they don't get it do they?"

She shakes her head, tears falling from her eyes.

"I know." Nick says, reaching over to touch her hand. "I know." He thinks for a second before speaking, "You know, Eddie's had a lot of shit happen to him, both his parents baled on him..."

"But, Nick, he can...oh God...I can't"

"You can. Tell me..."

"They are still alive, he can go see them and touch them and hug them. I mean maybe it would hurt, or they would reject him again, but he can go."

"I know."

"He would be so mad if I said that to him." she whispers, shame lacing her words.

"Maybe, maybe not. I think Eddie's parents are dead to him, but I think he knows mentioning that would piss you off."

"It wouldn't."

"No? Really? It would piss me off."

"Maybe, I don't know..."

"And Hannah's parents are still very much alive, and in her life, right?"

She nods, tears falling freely.

"Look, when my mom died Janet, I thought I would die too. The world just made no sense. It was cruel, heartless. My mother was my world and she died. I had to get the fuck out of here, and run as far away as I could. I tried to come back, to Hannah, Eddie, to the Ridge, but I just couldn't. My mother was everywhere, in that house, all over town."

"I get it Nick, I didn't at first, but I do now."

"But it wasn't the right thing to do. Look at what I left." Nick runs his hands through his hair. "I missed out on knowing my son for ten years of his life, more if you count how long it took Hannah to tell me Sam was mine, even though I knew. I can never get those years back."

"Nick, I am not going to run. Is that what Eddie thinks?" Janet's voice is barely audible, her face white, full of fear.

"No, not at all. But you have to try and let him in. He's confused, he wants to be there for you and he knows you are pushing him away. He doesn't understand."

"I'm not though."

"Aren't you? You aren't talking to him, you are avoiding anything resembling talking."

Janet looks at Nick as her jaw drops. She assumes Eddie and Nick trade sexual escapade stories, but never expected to have it thrown back in her face. "He told you about last night?"

"Nothing too descriptive, Eddie's a gentleman. But, he told me enough."

"I don't know Nick, there's so much stuff going on in my head. What if he hates me after I talk to him? What if he leaves me?"

"He won't."

"He might."

"No, he won't. I have known Eddie Latekka forever, practically my whole life, and I can say without a doubt, he will not walk away from you."

"He doesn't have a reason to stay...especially if I push him."

"Yeah he does. He has two reasons. You and Maddie."

"But what if that's not enough. What if I tell him the truth, all the terrible things in my head and he hates me?"

"He won't hate you. Janet, the truth hurts sometimes. Look how far you and Eddie have come. You told him the truth that day in the hospital about Rooster. You didn' t lie, and you could have. And he didn't leave you"

"He did. "

"But he came back, and he's not going to make that mistake again. Sure he was hurt, that hurt him badly...but he loved you more than that hurt, he came back."

"For Maddie."

"And you, Janet you have to start believing in Eddie Latekka and Janet Meadows. It's there, it's real and he wants to be there for you."

Janet smiles weakly at Nick. "Does Eddie know you are here?"

"No." He shakes his head. "Nope. Look Janet, this isn't going to go away. I wish I could tell you that you just wake up one day and all the hurt is gone. It takes time, lots of time. But letting people in helps."

Janet nods. "Thank you Nick, thanks for coming."

"Anytime. Now, have I earned a piece of pie?"

As Janet is cutting into the still warm pie, the front door opens and Eddie appears in the doorway.

"What are you doing here Nicky?" Eddie drops his keys onto the coffee table along with a stack of mail.

"Eddie. I was just...I just came over..." He stands up from his chair at the kitchen table.

Eddie raises his eyebrows, waiting for an explaination.

"He just came over to see how I was Eddie." Janet sets the knife down on a plate.

"I see."

"Eddie..." Janet starts, walking towards Eddie. She stops in her tracks once she locks eyes with Eddie. She sees nothing but hurt and anger. "Nick, you should go." she says softly, touching his shoulder. "Thank you for coming over."

"Sure thing." Nick puts on his jacket and turns back to Janet. Moving closer, he embraces her. "If you need anything..." he whispers as she nods into his shoulder. "Eddie, I'll catch you tomorrow."

Eddie nods, but doesn't reply. Nick shuts the door behind him.

"Want to tell me what the fuck that was all about?" Eddie crosses his arms.

"Eddie, Nick just came over here to talk to me."

"Yeah, I get it. However, Janet, I would like to know why you can talk to him and not me. I've been trying to get you to talk to me for days."

"I just didn't think..."

"What?" Eddie raises his voice. "You don't think that I would get it? Why not?"

Janet flinches, Eddie hasn't yelled at her since that horrible day in the hospital. She raises her voice to match his. "Eddie. I just don't know how to tell you how I feel."

"Try, Goddamn it, can't you try?"

Janet shakes her head as she looks at Eddie. "You want me to talk? Ok...Why?" She screams. "Why is this happening? Why does everyone I love DIE? Why can't I stop crying? What if I die and leave Maddie alone?" She paces in front of the couch, wildly, tripping over one of Maddie's shoes. She picks up the sneaker and hurls it across the room, knocking a picture off the wall. It crashes to the floor, the glass breaking into tiny shards. She stands in the middle of the room, wailing.

"Janet!" Eddie yells, coming around the couch to her. He catches her hands, clutched into tight fists, right before they strike his chest. He catches her as her knees buckle, and pulls her into his arms as the sobs rack her body.

"Baby, that's it...let it out. " Her crying is manic, her whole body shaking. Eddie smooths her hair and rocks her, silently. "Come on, come lie down." Eddie leads Janet to the bedroom once her tears subside. He guides her to the bed, gently pressing her back into the pillows.

"I can't do it anymore Eddie" Janet says weakly. "I can't get up and act like life is ok. God, I couldn't even take care of Maddie today, I just sent her off to the park with Pizza Girl like I didn't care."

Eddie wants to interject, but keeps his mouth closed. He sits on the edge of the bed, next to Janet.

"Who does that? Who fucking just gives her kid to someone like she's a bother? What kind of mother does that make me?"

Eddie laces his fingers with Janet's. "Baby, Mad's is at the park, no doubt having fun. Would you want her to see you like this?"

Janet shakes her head. "Eddie, when I try to talk to you I guess I don't think you will understand. My heart is so broken. It's like someone has it in their hand, and just when I start to feel ok, they squeeze the shit out of it. It hurts like hell. I don't want to get out of bed, I don't want to get dressed, I don't want..."

"Janet, you can tell me anything. I know how a broken heart feels. Maybe mine hasn't broken like yours, but it's been broken."

"By me..." Janet trails off, a tear falling out of her eye.

"Maybe, but you fixed it. And I want to fix yours. I know, stupid right?"

Janet shakes her head as Eddie leans in and kisses her forehead, her cheek, her mouth before sitting back upright.

"Janet, do you know what I love most about you? The same exact thing that scares me about you. You are so damn independent. You don't ever let on that you need anyone or anything. You keep people at arms length a little bit, like you are always waiting for the worst. It scares me because I think one day you might realize you don't need me, and that you would be ok without me. I know it's not exactly fair for me to say this to you right now, but I think this time you need to let me make you feel better, and maybe I need that too. So, tell me how, tell me what to do. I will do anything."

She weakly smiles up at him. "Lie down with me Eddie."

Eddie rolls his body over hers, resting on his side and pulls her close to him. "I love you Janet. I don't know as much as Nicky does. I might not know exactly what you are going through, but I want to understand, and you have to try and make me understand. I love when you are happy and laughing, but I need to help you when you are broken and crying. "

Janet moves in closer to Eddie, her face close to his. She touches his face, smiling a little. "Eddie. I do need you. I would never be ok without you."

Eddie kisses Janet, softly, tentatively. She kisses him back, her hands run down his back.

"Eddie, will you make love to me?"

"Janet..." Eddie pulls back to look at her.

"I want to be close to you, smell your skin, feel you inside me. I know I was a little crazy last night."

"Yeah, but crazy in a hot way."

She giggles for the first time that day. " Making love to you would make me feel so good. I love how you make me feel."

Eddie slowly kisses Janet, and waits for her to return his kiss, before kissing deeper. His mouth works slowly down her face, until he nuzzles into her neck. He kisses her earlobes as he drapes her arm over his back, kissing the soft flesh on the underside of her upper arm.

Slowly, tenderly, Janet unbuttons Eddie's flannel shirt, pushing it off his shoulders. She presses soft kisses all over his broad, hairy chest and Eddie reaches for the hem of Janet's t-shirt as she wiggles out of her cardigan. He pulls her shirt over her head as she raises her body slightly to help him. He smiles when he discovers Janet's not wearing a bra, her nipples already hard, pink, begging for his mouth. He kisses the hollow of her neck gently before lowering his mouth to her breasts. His tongue is warm, wet, circling, and her breath becomes ragged. He glides his fingers slowly over the soft skin of her breasts, working lower, over her belly. His fingers circle her belly button, tickling. Janet usually recoils when Eddie touches her stomach, hating his hands feeling her roundness. But today, in the warm afternoon sun, she pushes away her thoughts- the fact that she still thinks he might be disgusted touching her stomach or that she's so different from all the flat bellied women he'd bedded before her. Eddie's fingers were soft and full of sweetness and so today she let him linger there, his eyes full of nothing but pleasure and love.

It became impossible for either of them to look anywhere but at each other. As Eddie stares into her big blue eyes, his strong frame above her, she smiles. He strokes her inner thighs, persuading her to open her legs to him. His hands roam over her soft cotton panties while Janet's hands find the button of his jeans, pulling them open. Eddie stands by the side of the bed in order to remove the remainder of his clothing. Before returning to Janet, he bends and runs his fingers under the waistband of her panties and motions for her to lift up off the bed. Expertly, he strips her, and stretches back over her.

"How do you want to..." He pauses before saying fuck.

Janet holds Eddie's face between her hands. "Please, like this. I want it just like this. I need you on top of me."

Eddie nods, reaching his hand between them to make sure Janet's ready for him.

"Eddie." she says, shaking her head. "I don't need all that, I want your..." she hesitates, gulping. "Put your cock in me, please."

Eddie pauses, trying to recall a time that Janet ever used such a word. "Yeah, you want it in your pussy?"

"Whoa, slow it down."

He stops, eyebrow cocked. "Too much?"

"Yeah."

"OK, so just to clarify, cock is ok, but pussy is not? What about dick?"

"You know Eddie, that isn't exactly turning me on."

Eddie slips his hand between them again, and feels her wetness. "Could have fooled me."

Slowly, Eddie pushes himself into Janet, and feels her wrap her legs and arms around him, taking him deep inside her.

"That's good Eddie." she whispers.

Eddie feels her heat engulf him. She's so wet, he almost slips out of her, but pushes in deeper, bracing himself with his knees on the mattress. Janet trembles as they make love slowly. He kisses her forehead as he places his hand over her heart.

"Let me in Janet, please let me in." Eddie begs.

As she shudders and gasps her orgasm, Janet feels an overwhelming release of tension she didn't realize she was holding back. Eddie stops moving once he realizes tears are once again spilling from Janet's eyes. He puts his hand to her cheek gently and he feels Janet move her legs, gripping him tighter to her.

"Eddie, " she whispers, clutching his hand to her heart, nodding. 


	36. Chapter 36

Janet sits at the kitchen table, the sun is just barely making its way up and she has the lights on low. In front of her are the stacks of invoices and reciepts that Sully sent home with her the night before, Janet's first, and unsucessful, attempt at a shift since returning from Providence. She had made it through the first hour, but when a regular patron of the bar had at expressed their condolences, the tears fell from her eyes quickly.

Sully pulled her into his office in the back of the bar and sat her in one of the chairs in front of his desk.

"Dollface, I can't have you crying, not while you're tending my bar." He leaned back in his chair, the back creaking under his weight.

"I'm sorry Sully." Janet said, embarassed. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

"Don't be sorry, just get better. You take the rest of the week off, you hear?"

"Sully, I can't..."

"You can, and you will. I can't have my best bartender crying whenever a customer looks at her sideways."

"But Sully, I have bills, the mortgage...I have to buy diapers and groceries. I can't afford to take a week off."

"You see all this paperwork?" Sully continued once Janet nodded. "You take all home with you, see if you can figure the damn stuff out. I'll pay you, regular wages, plus half your tips."

"I can't take tips when I'm not working for them."

"Yeah you can, and once you figure out what a mess these books are, you'll be begging to come back to work. No one can do my books better than you."

Janet accepted Sully's terms and headed for home loaded down with several ledgers and a box full of paperwork.

The coffee pot in the kitchen chimes, announcing the end of the brew cycle. Janet is just about to go pour herself a cup when she hears the bedroom door open. Eddie walks across the room in just a pair of boxers and collapses on the chair across from Janet. He yawns as he runs his hand through his hair.

"Do you know what time it is Meadows?" He folds his arms over his bare chest.

"I know it's early. Did the coffee wake you? The music?" The stereo is on and Janet knows she should have put on the headphones, but gave up when they didn't reach to the table.

"No, but what the hell are you listening to?" Although the volume is low, the band pouring out of the speakers is loud, wailing, and not Janet's usual fare.

"Pizza Girl made me the CD a few weeks ago. It's her favorite band. I thought I would listen to it, since she keeps asking what I think."

"It's terrible." Eddie grimaces.

"I kind of like it." Janet ignores Eddie's smirk. "You know, a few years ago when the band broke up? Pizza Girl drove all the way to Portland to watch their final show. "

"So? Big deal. Portland is only two and a half hours away. The way she drives? Like an hour and forty five."

"No, not Portland in Maine, Eddie, in Oregon." She says emphatically. "She didn't even have a place to stay, just got in her car with only her tickets and just drove. I think that's amazing."

"It's something all right, I'm not sure about amazing.

"Janet, " Eddie says after a few moments, "aren't you tired? After last night, I think you would be exhausted."

Eddie wasn't that surprised when Janet returned home shortly after leaving for the bar. They had turned on a stupid movie about an orphan who turned out to be a musical prodigy. Eddie had rolled his eyes plenty during the movie and was glad when Janet turned the TV off after the credits rolled and deemed the movie two hours they could never get back. He had been tired, and even though it was after midnight, and he had to be up early to start ordering the windows for the new job at the library, he had been in the mood for a quickie, but all hopes of that were dashed when Janet wanted to make love long and slow, complete with an endless amount of foreplay.

"I don't know, I just couldn't sleep. I figured working out this mess of Sully's would make me tired, but it hasn't."

"I think I have something better to wear you out."

Janet rests her gaze on Eddie's lap, realizing what he has in mind. She smiles and stands up, taking his hand. "You sure are a horny man, Latekka."

He kisses her mouth, his hand moving down her back. "Like you don't love it."

She returns his kiss. "I do."

As they make their way to the bedroom, Eddie pauses by the stereo. "This? Really bad. Tell that to Pizza Girl." He presses the power button on the stereo before shutting the door behind them.

During her week off of work, Janet attempts to get back to normal life. She wakes early each morning, puts on her sneakers and takes a long walk with the dog, some music, and her thoughts. She reads countless books to Maddie, sits with her on the floor to play with dolls and push cars around, and revels in her sweet baby smell each night when Maddie falls asleep in her arms after her bath. She and Hannah go to lunch several times and linger over coffee and deep conversation. Pizza Girl persuades her to go to the salon for haircuts one afternoon, and Janet is pleasantly surprised when she emerges from her salon chair minus all the colorful extensions, her hair cut into a stylish bob. She talks on the phone with Emily and bakes pie and cookies one rainy morning at the Rowans as the kids play together in the living room. Each afternoon, Janet drags out her cookbooks and prepares elaborate meals that are on the table by six for Eddie. She slowly becomes Janet Meadows again.

At night when the dishes are washed, dried and back in their place in the cabinents, Janet joins Eddie in the bedroom. They lie on their sides, facing each other to talk. Janet asks Eddie about his day, and in turn she answers all his questions and tries to explain her heartbreak. They talk for hours and then slowly make love. It never rivals their sweatiest or sexiest nights together but instead a sweetness comes from that lovemaking that Janet finds herself craving. She can almost feel Eddie picking up the pieces of her broken heart and easing them back into place.

Now Monday morning, she's back at work. She unlocks the door to the bar, hoping the morning will be slow so she can finish Sully's books.

"Please, please, please tell me you have coffee here."

Janet looks up from the ledger she's balancing behind the bar. A pretty, thin brunette woman is making her way across the bar, her heels clicking on the wooden floor. She's dressed smart, cute. An argyle sweater vest over a crisp, white dress shirt and a short, but not too short, black skirt. The kind of oufit Janet would wear if she didn't think she would look ridiculous. She sets a large white mug down in front of the woman and she turns to grab the pot she just brewed.

"Thank you..." The woman says to her as she pours her a cup.

"You're welcome, I'm Janet."

The woman sips her coffee without the addition of cream or sugar. "Oh my God, you're not Janet. " She says, after swallowing. "You are Queen of Coffee, Queen Of All That Is Right In This World. This coffee is almost as good as my husbands, and if he heard me say that, I would be cut off. "

Janet smiles. "Hungry?"

"Uh, try famished. Is the food good here?"

Janet nods, handing over a menu. She picks up her order pad, fully expecting the woman to order something low cal or non fat. She's willing to bet she's going to have to send back a highly specialized order back to Joe.

"What to have...hmmm...Pancakes? Eggs? Hell, I'll have the works, bacon, eggs pancakes...bring it on."

Janet giggles. "Really?"

"Yeah, you should see me eat, it's truly disgusting. I have horrified several small children, I don't think they will ever recover."

Janet refills her coffee cup and puts the order on the rack for Joe.

"So Janet. Do you know everyone in this town?"

"Pretty much. They all end up here drinking at some point."

"When I was driving in this morning, this guy was walking down the street. Tall, lanky, awkward looking with a funny little mohawk?"

Janet laughs. "That's Rooster."

"Rooster huh? Does he have a brother?"

"No, not that I know of. Why?"

"Dead ringer for a guy in my town, well minus the hair. I swear I almost took out a sidewalk full of people doing a double take."

"So what brings you to Knight's Ridge?"

"Well. I am meeting my daughter here. She's pulling a Jack Keroauc and I rarely get to see her. We were supposed to do this whole mother/daughter bonding thing this summer, you know go to all these different amusement parks, ride the rollercoasters, eat really bad food and try to win hideous stuffed animals by knocking bottles over. But, she got this job, it sort of just fell in her lap, and before I knew it, she was off on her little adventure. I only get to see her once in a blue moon. We talk everyday on the phone and text like crazy, but it's totally not the same. I miss her face."

Janet has to concentrate to keep up with this woman. She is talking a mile a minute and her hands gesticulate wildly to emphazise her point. Janet is willing to bet this woman slows down for no one.

The bar door opens, and Nick, Owen, Ikey and Eddie, holding Maddie in his arms, pile in, loudly.

"Janet!" Owen yells, waving.

"Ooh, now that's a nice looking bunch of men." She looks at Janet, who is smiling at Eddie. "Please, tell me one of those is yours?"

"Yeah," Janet actually blushes. "The tall one, in the flannel." She realizes there's a lot of flannel going on in their circle and adds. "The one with the kid."

"Cute." Janet's not sure if she's referring to Eddie or Madison. She's almost afraid to ask.

"Janet." Joe yells from the kitchen. "Order's up."

Janet brings several plates over and sets them down. The guys are at the end of the bar, staring, as she sets the plates down. "Can I bring you anything else?"

"Mmm, this looks great. I think it's all here. Go help them, I am going to stuff my face like a pig." She says this almost gleefully as she pours a large amount of syrup over her pancakes.

"Dude, who's the lolly?" Ikey whispers loudly when Janet reaches their end of the bar.

Janet sets coffee mugs on the bar as she fills them. "She's from out of town."

"She's hot." Owen says.

"Yeah? Well, she's married and she's meeting her daughter here." Janet leans over the bar to kiss Maddie on the head.

"I bet her daughter's hot too." Owen laments

"Dude, gross. No way does that chick have a daughter that's legal." Ikey counters.

"Oh, she's legal boys. And she's pretty...and smart."

Janet rolls her eyes and mouths "sorry" to the woman who just smiles and raises her mug to the boys.

The bar begins to fill up as Janet hands Joe another order for the guys. She's glad when Emily comes in for her shift, immediately ties on her apron and with a pot of coffee makes the rounds. She chats amicably with all the customers and Janet's happy, not only for the help, but that Emily decided to stay in the Ridge, if only to see where her relationship with Ikey was headed.

"Rory!" Janet hears as she's restocking clean mugs. She drops the mug that's in her hand, and it shatters on the floor behind the bar. Slowly, she turns around and searches the bar for the blonde, long legged beauty. She lets out the breath she didn't realize she was holding as she sees the woman embracing her daughter. Looking over, she sees Eddie smiling at her, his eyes twinkling as he offers Maddie a bite of pancake.

"See boys?" The woman calls over to the table as she smooths her daughters hair with her hand. "I told you...pretty."

"Mom, gross." She pushes her hand away. "I'm like five seconds in the door and you're already auctioning me off?"

"Shush, come...sit, sit. Are you hungry?"

"Like you wouldn't believe. All I had to eat yesterday was a stale bag of chips and a Snickers bar."

"Sounds like a good day to me. Let me look at you. You look older, wiser, taller. Did you get taller?"

"No. "

"You look taller. Unless..." she looks down. "AHA! I was wondering where those shoes were. You rat!"

"But they're comfy. I love them."

"I know! Why do you think I bought them?"

Janet brings a mug over to their end of the bar, breaking up the footwear fight. "Coffee?"

"Oh, yes please." Rory nods.

"Janet, this is my daughter, Rory."

"Nice to meet you. And I don't think I caught your name."

"Gah! My manners are crap today. I am Lorelai."

"Rory, can I get you something to eat?"

"I'll have what she's having, extra pancakes please." Rory looks around the bar. "Wow, mom, did you look around? It looks like Luke's closet threw up in here."

"Uh, hello? Eating. Can you refrain from talking about vomit please?"

"Yeah, sorry." Rory grabs a fork and reaches over. "Hello pancake." She says, happily, as she shoves the large bite in her mouth.

"So, Janet. Spill it. What was with that mug destruction over there?"

When Janet blushes, Lorelai continues. "It's got to have something to do with Flannel Boy over there."

Janet giggles, and nods. "I am so calling him that from now on."

"Oh my god!" Rory exclaims before lowering her voice several decibels. "Janet, is that Nicholson Garrett over there?"

Lorelai whips her head around. "Where?"

"That's him." Janet confirms.

"Mom, remember? 'Turtle on a Snare Drum'? I love that book." Rory sighs.

"Now that's putting it mildly. You read the thing six thousand times. In a week."

"I can't believe he's sitting over the...oh wait! Knight's Ridge, I didn't think it was a real place."

"Do you want to meet him?" Janet asks.

Rory shakes her head. "Oh, I don't want to bother him if he's eating."

"Trust me, it will make his day. He's old hat around here now." Janet yells over to Nick, waves him over.

"Nick, this is Rory, she's a big fan of your book."

A collective groan comes from a table across the bar. He turns around extending his middle finger.

"Now that's class Nicholson." Eddie yells out.

"Nice to meet you Rory." Nick says, turning back around.

"Can I go all geeky on you and ask some questions about your book?" Nick nods and leads Rory over to a table on the other side of the bar, far from the ribbing and snickering of his friends. They are soon deep in a conversation about all things literary.

"Ok, so let me get this straight." Rory says, pointing to the table as she and Nick return to the bar. "That's Freddie Venetta and that's Kevin Levin?" Nick nods.

"Hey." Lorelai asks. "Who's the other guy, the one in the Sox hat? Who was he in the book?"

Nick leans in, whispering. "He wasn't in the book, he's still creased about that."

"Creased! I can't believe you really say that! Thank you Nick, I appreciate all your time."

"Any time Rory, and next time I'm in New York, I will look you up."

"Well, well...look at you missy." Lorelai starts as Nick returns to his table. "Rubbing elbows with all sorts of celebrity. Working for Obama, talking books with Nicholson Garrett. Am I even good enough to sit here? Should I even be in this restaurant?"

"Hush. Hey, thanks for all the food Janet, I'm starving."

"So who were you in the book Janet?" Lorelai asks.

"Me? I wasn't in there. I didn't know Nick until a few years ago. But I did happen to steal Freddie from Tori."

"And Tori is really..."

Janet nods, "Rory."

"Evil, we hate her already." Rory says around a mouthful of eggs.

"Yeah! Down with Rory!" Lorelai adds. "Well, except for you sweetie."

"Thanks."

Eddie comes over to the bar. "Hey Janet, can you take Maddie for a second? I need to talk to Sully about something."

"What do you need to talk to..."

"None of your business." Eddie interrupts, his tone joking.

Lorelai turns on her stool to get a better look at Eddie. A small smile forms at the corner of her mouth as she takes him in, head to toe. "Hi. I'm Lorelai." She extends a hand which Eddie shakes. "And who's this cute thing?"

"I'm Eddie...Latekka." After a second, after Lorelai blinks withought saying anything, he adds. "Oh, this is Mads...Madison. Say 'hi' to the pre...the nice lady Mads."

Madison waves as Lorelai fawns over her dress. Janet is amazed that Eddie, a man who basically wears the same outfit on a daily basis, always turns out such a well dressed kid.

"Eddie, give her here, but hurry. Sully's not going to be happy when I am walking around waiting on customers with a kid on my hip."

"I will." He slides Madison over the bar. "It was nice to meet you Lorelai. " Janet notices Eddie's eyes linger on Lorelai's legs a moment too long, and she makes a mental note to wear a skirt sometime that week.

Janet trudges around the bar, clearing plates, talking to the customers, letting them coo over Madison. It was hard enough to bus that many tables quickly, but with a toddler on her hip, it was next to impossible. She prays Eddie makes it out of Sully's office alone, she doesn't need her boss pissed off once he sees all the tables in the bar are a mess. As she's pouring coffee for another table she hears Sully's voice boom behind her.

"Janet. Get over here."

"Shit." She says under her breath, and Maddie repeats the word. "No, no Maddie, don't say that." She turns around and walks towards Sully and Eddie.

"Let me see that little girl." Sully takes Madison from Janet and holds her up to his face. "Hey there you pretty thing. I'm gonna steal her for a second, we got some important things to discuss. And Eddie, you can drop that box of stuff off at my place later."

"Sure thing Sul." They watch as Sully sits at the table with Nick, Owen and Ikey, and starts chatting away with Madison.

"All what stuff?"

"Huh? Oh. First a kiss." Eddie says.

"What?"

Eddie taps his cheek. "Kiss, right there."

Janet kisses his cheek, noticing how good he smells. "What was that for?"

Eddie smiles. "I got you a week off."

"Eddie I just had a week off."

"And now you have another. It took some bargaining, but I did it. We're going away. Cradle Bay, one week."

"Eddie." Janet's voice lowers to a whisper. "We can't afford a week in Cradle Bay."

"We can, we aren't paying for anything but food and the gas to get up there, which will all be split."

"Split?"

"Yeah, we're going with Nick, Hannah, Sam, Owen, Allison, the kids...maybe Ikey and Phiz if Pizza Girl can do some major convincing."

"And we are staying where?"

"Sneaky Pete's old vacation place. He left it for the Commander"  
"Oh Eddie, all of us crammed into a little shack doesn't sound like a vacation to me."

"Shack?"

She whispers again. "Not to speak ill of the dead, but Sneaky Pete was a cheap bastard. He never tipped when he drank here and he left behind a huge bar tab. So I can only imagine the palace he willed to the Commander."

"Janet, where is your sense of adventure?" Eddie shoots her a big toothy grin.

"And just how did you convince Sully to give me another week off?"

Eddie smiles again. "I got him a date with Lila."

"Lila? The clerk at the library?"

"Yup, she's lonely, and Sully has always been sweet on her. Now that her husband's gone, I did a little matchmaking."

"And he agreed to those terms?"

"Well, sort of. I had to throw in all my back issues of Playboy too."

Janet throws her head back and laughs. "Really?"

"Yeah, what's so funny. It's not like I need them anymore." He winks at her, pulling her close. He kisses her deeply. "Come on Meadows, what do you say?"

"Ok. Yeah, I'm in."

"Janet?" Janet turns around. "Thanks for everything. The coffee, feeding us."

"You're welcome, my pleasure."

"Here." Lorelai opens her purse, pulling out her business card. "This is my number at the inn. If you ever find yourself in Connecticut, you have a place to stay."

"Thanks, and hey I may just call if I have any questions about the catering stuff I was telling you about."

"Call. Anytime, even if you just want to chat." She hugs Janet. "Bye boys." She waves to the table as they wave back.

"Who's that?" Sully asks. "She's hot."

"Come on Rory, we got us a town to explore." 


	37. Chapter 37

"Janet? What's with all the rumpus back here?"

Eddie walks into the bedroom, eating an apple. Janet is pushing her neatly folded piles of clothing deeper into her suitcase, which rests on the bed.

"I cannot zip this stupid thing."

Eddie goes over to the bed, holding the apple between his teeth. He presses the top of the suitcase down firmly and tugs on the zipper. When it doesn't budge, he finishes the last bite of his apple, pitches the core in the wastebasket, wipes his hands on his jeans and tries again.

"What the hell do you have in here?"

"Everything. My clothes, my hairdryer, my makeup. The damn thing won't shut."

Eddie opens the suitcase, peering in.

"Do you really need all this?" He pulls out a black hooded sweatshirt. "This? Do you need this?"

"Yes, it might get chilly at night."

"True." He pulls out two pairs of jeans. "Do you really need two pairs of jeans? Wear the same pair."

"Yes, what if there's no place to do a load of laundry and those get dirty?"

Shaking his head, Eddie rummages around the case after putting both pairs of jeans back. He pulls out a black, lacy bra and holds it up. "Ok, this you need." He turns around, grinning. "As a matter of fact, put it on right now."

"Eddie."

He moves closer to her. "It would make me so hot, knowing you had this on under your shirt." He leans down a little, running the tip of his tongue from Janet's collarbone up to her ear, lightly nipping the lobe.

"And later, I want you to keep it on while you fuck me." He says this softly, directly into her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.

Janet giggles. "So let's just stay home, I'll wear it while I do very naughty things to you."

Eddie groans and playfully smacks her rear. "No dice Meadows. We're going. What goes on? You've been complaining for the past two days about this trip."

"I'm not looking forward to a whole week, crammed in a tiny little house with everyone."

"Uh huh."

"And just so you know, it's probably so small we aren't going to be able to have sex. Everyone will hear us."

"Well, we will just have to go down on the beach then. We've never done it on the beach."

"And we never will. Trust me when I tell you sand is nothing nice to be digging out of your private parts."

"And how do you know about that?"

"Hannah. She and Big Cat..."

Eddie puts his hand up in the air. "Stop, say no more. I don't want to hear that."

"Put that bra back in my suitcase and zip the damn thing."

"Put it on." He throws it at her. "Come on Janet. Please?"

Janet sighs, and heads for the bathroom.

"Where are you going?"

"To put this on."

"Uh-uh. No way. Put it on right here. I want to watch."

"You are such a dirty man, I swear."

He waggles his eyebrows. "Come on. Don't you want my cock hard all the way to Cradle Bay?"

Just for a second, Janet contemplates his question then strips off her shirt. She unhooks the plain, boring white bra she has on, and blushes a little as Eddie leers at her naked breasts.

"Perv." She laughs, as she slips her arms through the straps of the bra. She fastens the closure between her breasts and reaches in the cups to adjust herself.

"I could watch you put bras on all day."

Janet moves closer to Eddie. "Oh yeah?" He nods as she playfully pushes him back on the bed. He ends up sitting right on top of the suitcase. Janet leans in to kiss him on the mouth. His lips are dry but his mouth is hot, wet, and his tongue tastes like a combination of toothpaste and coffee. As she kisses him, he slides his hand up to her breasts, fingers finding their way into the cups.

"That feel good?" He whispers, fingertips rubbing her hardening nipples. She nods, her face concentrating, eyes closed. Her hands rest on either side of him, palms flat on the suitcase as she leans in closer to him, moaning at his touch. Eddie feels her hands moving all around him; his sides, over his legs, in between them. Teasing but not really touching. Eddie caresses the underside of her breast before she moves away from him.

"There." Janet smiles, standing straight up, the zipper finally closed on her suitcase. "Thanks Eddie."

"Tease. You are so gonna pay for that one Meadows."

She slips her shirt back on and laughs. "Yeah?" She moves to whisper in his ear. "And THAT is gonna keep you hard all the way to Cradle Bay baby." She pats his leg. "Come on. Nick and Hannah are going to be here anytime."

Eddie, Janet, Madison and Saffron are waiting on the front porch when Hannah and Nick pull up in Hannah's Volvo.

"Where's Sam? "

"Riding with the Rowans. They're right behind us." Hannah leans over to pet the dog.

"Are we moving to Cradle Bay? " Nick asks as he tries to pick up Janet's suitcase.

"I know, right?" Eddie laughs, slipping on his sunglasses. "That thing is seriously heavy, my friend."

"Hannah's is heavier. I tried to get her to leave out a bunch of shit, but she said she needed it all. We barely got the damn thing zipped."

Janet smiles at Eddie.

Owen jumps out of his huge SUV after putting it in park behind Hannah's car.

"Ok, we got plenty of room in the back for the suitcases." He picks up Janet's suitcase easily. " But you are going to have to put the dog in the Volvo."

Janet calls shotgun as Eddie fastens Madison in the car seat Hannah keeps in her car. He and Nick are forced to ride in the back, on either side of Madsion. Nick has no issue, he's short and sits behind Janet, who thoughtfully pulls her seat forward. Eddie is stuck behind Hannah and her mile long legs, miserable.

Once they turn off the interstate and head onto the two lane back roads, a sign that their two hour trip is almost over, the radio station starts to crackle. Janet flips the channels trying to find a good station.

"Here's an idea. Turn the damn thing off." Eddie grumbles.

"Dude, not everyone hates music." Janet's voice is sing songy, and since it pleases Eddie that she is finally getting into the trip, he lets his annoyance go.

"No fucking way!" Hannah yells as the next station comes in clear.

"Hannah." Janet warns. "Language. It took me a week to get Maddie to stop saying S-H-I-T."

"Sorry, but listen!" She turns the volume up on the stereo. The beginning bars of a country song pour from the speakers. Hannah and Janet sing along, loudly.

"Country? Really?" Nick says, leaning in between the front seats to look at Hannah.

"This isn't just country Nick. This is Tim McGraw."

"And he is hot!" Hannah adds.

"Country." Nick repeats, settling back in his seat. "Really?" This time the question is aimed at Eddie.

"Nicky, the things you missed when you didn't come home. Hannah and Janet used to go line dancing at the Johnson Inn every Sunday night. They would get all tarted up and head on over for the hoedown."

"If I remember right Eddie." Hannah says. "You were there many nights too."

"Yeah, but I wasn't in a cowboy hat." He lightly flicks the back of Hannah's hair, playfully. "Or cowboy boots."

"I didn't have boots."

"No but Meadows did. Red ones."

"Eddie, how did you know that?" Janet asks, looking at him from the front seat. "I don't think you spoke two words to me back then. I had just started working at Sully's"

"I knew." Eddie wasn't about to admit he spent many of those nights sitting at the bar secretly watching Janet. She was a natural at the dances, and she laughed like crazy as she turned and kicked her heels up. Her face always lit up when she and Hannah partnered off with jerks in plaid shirts and plate sized belt buckles.

"Eddie went to Country Western night?" Nick laughs.

"Yeah, he had plenty of hoe's down back then." The three of them laugh as Eddie shakes his head.

"These three Mads?" He points to the other passengers in the car then makes a circular motion by his ear as Maddie laughs. "Crazy!"

"Hey? Does Owen still snore?" Janet asks, turning in her seat again. All Owen's friends give him a bad time about his loud buzzsaw snoring.

"That's a random question." Nick laughs.

"I know, but I can only imagine we are going to have to hear him all weekend. I bet this place is tiny, we are going to be sleeping on top of each other."

"Janet, sense of adventure, remember?" She winks at Eddie in the rearview mirror. She knows Janet is worried the house is going to be really cramped and that she won't be able to sleep. Janet Meadows was in no way a high maintenance girl, but she liked her sleep, and she liked her room quiet and dark to do so. Eddie never would have made it as a permanent bed mate if he snored.

"Turn up here Hannah, off this road." Nick directs. As Hannah pulls off onto a long dirt road Janet's mind flashes on the horror movie Eddie had made her watch the week before. She half expects Freddy or Jason to appear in the path of the headlights.

It's dusk when they finally arrive at Sneaky Pete's. When Nick tells Hannah to stop the car, Janet gasps. Across a green, highly manicured front lawn sits a huge two story, white farmhouse. No fewer than a dozen windows decorate the front of the house, flanked by black shutters that match the front door. She turns to look at Eddie.

"You knew all along this place was this big?" Eddie nods, smiling.

"We used to come up here with Nicky's parents every summer. There's plenty of room. Four bedrooms and a bunch of couches for people to sleep on."

"Jerk."

"Why am I a jerk?"

"You let me ramble on for days about how cramped and crowded we were going to be, and all along, you knew this place was a palace."

Eddie just grins. "Half the fun." He says, kissing her cheek.

Nick tosses the keys to Hannah. "You two go, explore with Allison while we bring in the luggage."

Janet picks Maddie up as Eddie lets the dog out of the hatchback of the Volvo. "This place is amazing." Allison says, coming over to stand by Janet and Hannah. The three of them stare up at the house.

"Let's go in." Hannah walks up the front path, the girls behind her. The front steps lead up to a huge front door, which she unlocks.

The main living room takes up half of the first floor. A comfy looking sectional couch sits in the middle of the room, facing a fireplace, a flat screen TV above the mantle. The wooden floors have been painstakingly restored. As they explore the room, Janet is immediately drawn to the two large built in bookshelves flanking the entrance to the kitchen. She runs her hand over the spines of the books, mostly the classics,noting several titles she wants to take advantage of during the week ahead. She wanders into the kitchen. There's a large island with several barstools, a huge stainless refrigerator, a deep farmhouse sink. She stops in front of the stove. It's possibly the only thing that has not been replaced in the kitchen. It's vintage, white, with four burners, a griddle and a seperate broiler area next to the oven.

"Oh, look at that stove." Hannah says.

"I know, gorgeous." Janet agrees.

"I am totally not going to mind cooking all week on that."

The only other furniture in the kitchen is a wingback easy chair. It looks soft, worn in, and it's situated right in front of a large window, looking out onto the front yard. The perfect place to curl up with a book and a cup of coffee.

Allison comes into the kitchen. "There's a laundry room, and a bathroom down here too. " She walks over to a door on the side of the kitchen. "Look at this." She squeals.

Off the side of the kitchen is a large screened in porch complete with a table and four chairs in the corner, several Adirondack chairs and a low shelf crammed full of games. The porch door swings out onto a deck, which wraps around the side of the house leading to a large patio area off the back. The steps lead down to a path that ends as the beach begins.

"I can't believe this place. How is this place so nice? Sneaky Pete had no money. " Janet wonders aloud.

"Look mom!" Kaitlyn yells. "A treehouse. Can I go up there?"

"I don't know. Your dad will have to make sure it's safe first."

The boys open the French doors from the living room.

"Did you all even make it upstairs?" Nick asks as the girls shake their heads.

"Well, you should. We should divvy up the rooms before it gets too late."

They trudge up the stairs as a group, at the landing they look up and down a long hallway. To the left, there are four doors, two on each side and a bathroom at the end of the hall. The bedrooms are all similar in size, except for the master, which is the only room to the right of the landing. They wander into the master, every face reflecting the same desire-to sleep in the incredible room. The room is situated under one of the gables of the house, which creates a sloping ceiling. A queen sized bed, pushed up against one wall, is beautifully made with colorful quilts. Pillows are piled up, half obscuring an antique iron headboard. Two floor to ceiling windows are to the left of the bed and there's a plush striped rug on the floor. The walls are a soft taupe color and a small chandelier suspends from the ceiling right above the bed. When Owen flips the lightswitch, a low, delicate light illuminates the room. The attached bahroom is open, stark white in contrast to the warm bedroom, There's a double sink, a glass stall shower and a deep claw foot iron tub big enough for two. A big picture window just above the tub, provides a view of the sky and the huge trees in the backyard.

"OK" Owen says, after turning the sink on and off, testing the water pressure. "I think we can all agree we want this room."

"No kidding." Nick says. "Man this place has changed since we used to come up here. Sneaky Pete was a busy man."

"How did he do all this?" Janet asks Nick.

"Well, he inherited the property a long time ago when his father died. He lets people vacation here all year round. He had a lot of handyman friends. My guess is they traded their services for a free place to stay right on the water."

"Wow. That was pretty..."

"Sneaky?" Nick guesses as Janet giggles.

"I say we arm wrestle for the room." Nick adds.

"Ok, so Nicky doesn't want to sleep in here." Owen ribs.

Back downstairs in the kitchen, Allison calls and places a pizza order as Eddie passes beers all around. Hannah finds a bunch of straws in a drawer. She cuts three of them at different lengths and calls Sam into the kitchen. She has him mix the straws up, and put them in his hand to offer to the three couples. Nick, Owen and Eddie pick straws, and as they hold them up, it's evident who has the longest straw. Janet's face breaks out into a huge grin.

"Ok, let's get these suitcases upstairs." Nick orders. "And Eddie, quit gloating."

Up in their room a few minutes later, Janet stands by the window, looking out. After bringing in their suitcases and shutting the door, Eddie comes up behind her, wraps his arms around her waist and kisses the back of her neck. She smells the beer he just finished.

"Good going Latekka. I love that you won us the good room."

"Yeah?" His voice is husky as he presses his body into hers. "I've got a little problem back here baby."

"I can feel that." Janet closes her eyes, enjoying the warmth of Eddie's body.

"I told you hard, all the way to Cradle Bay." His hands run down her arms, over her stomach, her breasts.

"Eddie, we can't right now. We have to go down there for dinner soon."

"So, we can spare a few minutes. Come on baby, I'm about to burst." She feels his hand move between them and hears his zipper as he pulls it down. As she turns to face him, Eddie undoes his belt and the button on his jeans. He reaches in his pants and boldly pulls himself out, hard and throbbing. Janet reaches her hand out. Her thumb caresses the soft, satiny tip of his penis.

"Yeah, baby...that feels so good...Rub me?"

She wraps her hand around his shaft and strokes towards her as Eddie's eyes glaze over.

"Janet, don't be shy." Eddie moans. "Harder...Yeah, that's it." His eyes never leave her face. After a few minutes, Eddie groans loudly, tipping his head back. "Baby, not that I don't love what you're doing here, but there's no way this is gonna make me come."

"Do you want...do you need some time alone?" Janet looks up at him with wide eyes.

Eddie chuckles. "No, hell no. I want to be in you. I want to fuck you."

"Eddie." Janet realizes she's annoyed. Even Eddie's quickies aren't. "Everyone will know what we are doing up here."

"So? Would that be so bad?" He kisses her chin, pressing his erection into her.

"Not bad, just embarassing."

"What? Two horny adults can't take advantage of the fact they just won the best room in the house?"

"Not when we are supposed to be down there, helping with dinner."

"Helping with what? They ordered fucking pizza. Janet, come on, it'll be quick. Over before you even realize it."

Janet laughs, hysterically. "Now that's the first time you ever said anything like that."

She looks at Eddie standing in front of her, fully dressed, except for his throbbing penis. She bites her lip and unbuttons her jeans.

"Yeah, I know you want it too."

"Ok, quit being so cocky."

Eddie just grins. Janet gets on her knees and pulls Eddie down with her by his hand.

"What's wrong with the bed?"

"It's too pretty to mess up just yet. Let's do it here."

Eddie shrugs, who is he to argue? He gently pushes Janet on her back as he pulls her jeans and panties down her hips, taking them off. He drops his own pants to his knees as he stretches out over Janet's body.

Janet feels Eddie pushing her hips open, roughly, with his hands. She helps him out, spreading her legs wider, around his, then hooking them around his waist as he slowly works himself into her.

As promised, it takes Eddie less than five minutes to reach an orgasm. As he does, Janet covers his mouth with her hand, muffling the yelp that threatens to escape.

Eddie pushes himself up slowly, hovering over Janet. "Did you come?"

"You're kidding right?" She sits up on her elbows.

"Janet, I'm sorry. You know I don't like quickies unless you are right there with me."

"I know, consider it my apology for all the complaining I did this week about the trip." She gently pushes him to the side and gets to her knees before standing. "And don't worry, you WILL make it up to me."

Janet tips her suitcase on it's side on the floor and unzips it, chuckling at the ease in which it opens. She roots around until she finds her favorite pair of worn, soft, flannel pajama pants and after a short trip into the bathroom, she returns, fresh and ready to go downstairs.

Eddie stands and pulls up his pants.

"Eddie, gross. Come on. Go clean yourself up. Maybe change or something."

"Who cares?"

"Me, and you should too."

Eddie sighs and reaches for his duffel bag. He returns from the bathroom in his own pajama pants.

"You are going to wear those? In front of everyone?"

"Yeah, why what's the big deal?

The big deal is that Eddie Latteka never wears anything other than jeans in mixed company. He had spent the night at Janet's a full six months before he changed to watch TV.

"Nothing, come on. "

Downstairs, empty pizza boxes litter the floor of the living room. Finding Nemo is playing on the flat screen for the kids. Maddie was standing on the couch, Owen protectively close.

"Daddy!" She screams with delight when Janet and Eddie come downstairs. "Fish!" She points, excitedly, to the television.

Connor Rowan turns his head to look at Maddie. "Shut up Maddie, I can't hear."

"Connor, you know we don't use language like that. She's just a baby." Owen scolds.

"Fish!" Maddie yells again, this time as she looks at Janet.

Janet sits on the couch next to Madison as Connor glares, turning the volume up on the set.

"Shhh Maddie, you have to be quiet so they can hear ok?"

Maddie nods and snuggles into Janet's side to watch the movie. Eddie comes back with a beer and a piece of pizza for Janet.

"Pepperoni ok?" He whispers into her ear. She nods.

Janet expects Maddie to fall asleep during the movie, but she stays awake, riveted to the screen the entire time. After the movie is over, she asks Maddie to get a book to read before she goes to bed. She toddles off to the corner, and pulls out all the books from her large tote bag, lining them neatly, side by side, on the floor. She paces back and forth, chatting incoherently to the books.

"What's she doing?" Owen asks.

"She always does that. I don't know where she got it from, just picks like five or six books and lines them up. Don't ask me how she chooses either."

Maddie comes over with a book about puppies. She climbs up into Janet's lap and Kaitlyn and Connor sit on either side of her to listen.

After the story, Eddie comes over to take Madison, who's finally asleep up to her playpen in the room the kids are sharing. As he leans over to grab Mads, he whispers in Janet's ear.

"We are so having a ton of kids." He grins and kisses her on her forehead. "Come on Connor." Eddie says as he crouches down. Connor climbs up on Eddie's back as Owen grabs Kaitlyn. Together, they take the three kids up to bed.

Hannah lets Sam stay up awhile longer, watching another movie. He begs to sleep on one of the couches downstairs, away from the other kids. She realizes it might be a good idea lest he overhears something he shouldn't.

Janet goes into the kitchen to help Allison and Hannah clean up the pizza mess. They open a bottle of wine and sit around the counter as the boys decide they are going to play a game of poker.

"Who's in?" Owen bellows through the screen door as the girls look at him strangely. "Come on Ali...we need a fourth person."

"Ok, ok..." She gets up from the counter. "I will never hear the end of it if I don't go play."

"So Janet, I guess you win." Hannah winks once they are alone in the kitchen.

"The room? Yeah."

"No... first couple to fuck in the house."

Janet blushes wildly. "How did...?"

"Your hair is a mess in the back." She notices Janet's looking a little horrified. "Oh Janet, whatever. Get over it."

"What about you? Have you and Nick sealed the deal?"

"Not yet, but I have a week" Hannah smiles. "We've done everything but. I think we are just learning how each others bodies tick again. Nick has definately learned a few things. " She takes a sip of wine. "Hey, has Eddie done the 'Come Here' to you?"

"No. What's that?" Janet's voice is flat. She's hoping Hannah isn't referring to something Eddie tried with her.

"I can't describe it, you just have to experience it. It's Eddie's signature move. "

"Ok Hannah, forgive me for asking, but how the Hell do you know Eddie's signature move?"

"Oh God, Janet, I'm sorry." After confessing about being intimate with Eddie, Hannah made sure to never bring it up again. "Nick did it one night and credited Eddie."

Janet relaxes. "Really? Signature move, huh? He's never done it with me. At least I don't think he has."

"Make him."

"Hannah, I can't."

"Why not? Just ask for it. From everything you've told me about your sex life, you two are quickly running out of things to try."

"Do you think they all share trade secrets or something?"

"I think so. Eddie's usually the ringleader"  
"They swap tips and techniques?" Janet's close to embarassment, knowing Owen and Nick know intimate details about her sex life with Eddie.

"Don't act so surprised. We do it all the time."

"True, and they are men." Janet agrees. "Hey has Nick ever done this thing where he rubs your earlobes?"

"Yes, what the hell is that all about?"

"I don't know but it's fucking annoying. Eddie won't cop to where he got that one"  
"Nick either."

"It's kind of quiet out there, should we go see what's up?"

Out on the porch, the four players are concentrating on their cards. There's no money or poker chips on the table, only piles of paper, cut into strips, in front of each of them. Janet goes over to Eddie and pulls from his pile.

She reads the slip of paper aloud. "Car wash. What the hell?"

"This is a healthy game of Poker for Household Chores. It's sweeping the nation." Nick deadpans.

Janet looks at each pile. "Looks like you boys are going to be doing a hell of a lot of chores for Allison."

"Ok, last hand guys." Alison warns. "It's late and you know the kids are going to be up early."

"So says the woman who's winning." Eddie says.

"Go big everyone." Allison pushes her entire pile into the center of the table.

"We can't even match that." Nick mutters, his pile by far the smallest.

"IOU's boys. If I win the hand, you double all the slips in there."

"I think Eddie can up the ante. Bet the good room." Owen suggests as he nudges Eddie's side.

Eddie looks up from his cards and slaps Owen's hand away. "No fucking way. I won that room fair and square."

"Oh, Latekka has a bad hand my friends."

But Eddie has the best hand, and ends up winning the pot. He picks a slip out of the pile and slides it over to Owen. "You are doing my laundry buddy."

"Eddie, you don't even do your own laundry." Janet reminds him.

"That's a win/win for us then isn't it?" Eddie gets up from the table and stretches.

"Eddie, you are so buying the beer for the rest of the trip." Owen grumbles as he stands up, gathering the empty beer bottles.

"Sore loser."

"Owen hates to lose Eddie, you know that." Allison wraps her arms around Owen. "Don't worry cranberry, I'll help you do Eddie's laundry."

"Yeah, with extra starch."

Upstairs, in their room, Eddie pulls Janet into his arms.

"Hey." he says, kissing her neck.

"Hi." Janet's hands roam over Eddie's strong back. She shivers a little bit.

"Are you cold?"

She nods.

"Well, let me shut the windows."

"No, Eddie. Leave them open." Janet loves fresh air in the room when she sleeps. She drove Eddie crazy when, on the coldest of nights, she left the window open a crack, snuggling under a ridiculous amount of blankets.

"Ok, I guess I will just have to find a better way to get you warm."

Eddie wraps his arms tightly around Janet, needing her curves against his body. His calloused fingers delicately trace her jawbone and tilt her head up towards him. Slowly, gently, he presses kisses over her face, her forehead, nose , cheeks and finally her lips, open and ready for him. He slowly slips his tounge in her mouth, tasting her, loving her. Janet cups his face, loving how his stubble tickles her fingers. Eddie twines his hands through her thick curls, pulling her even closer, tilting her head so he can kiss her deeply. He strokes through her hair, down her smooth back, until he's grasping her waist. He steps forward, making her take a step back, he quickens his pace moving them across the room, not breaking the kiss until he's pushing her roughly up against the dresser. Immediately he feels Janet's body tense.

"Sorry, did I hurt you?"

She shakes her head. But when Janet's rear bumped into the edge of the dresser, all she could think about was Rooster and their terrible night together. She remembered Rooster had been very vocal about how hot it was when they crashed into various pieces of furniture, something she had never done before and wasn't ready to try again.

"Come here." Eddie tugs her hand, guiding her to the bed. They tumble together on top of the covers. They face each other as Eddie resumes the work he started on Janet's body.

"Eddie, wait." She pushes him away from her.

"For what?" He pulls her closer.

"Get up for a sec."

"For what?"

"We can't do this on the quilt. It looks old, and I don't want to get anything on it."

Eddie shakes his head, but stands. Rolling his eyes, he accepts two corners of the quilt and helps Janet fold it neatly. She smooths the fabric as she places it on the chair across the room. Eddie pulls the blankets down exposing crisp, white sheets.

"Janet quit fondling that quilt and get over here."

"Better?" He asks as he settles back on the pillows, arms over his head.

"Much." Janet crawls over him, straddling his lap. She moves over his already erect penis, teasing him through their pajama pants.

Eddie reaches down, running his hands under Janet's shirt, hands roaming over her smooth skin before pushing it up and over her head. He tosses it to the side as she sits up on his lap.

"God you look good in that bra." His fingers pinch her nipples through the fabric.

She smiles at him. The only light in the room comes from overhead, casting a golden glow over their bodies.

"Take off your shirt too." Janet orders. Eddie quickly removes it, tossing it with hers. Janet caresses his strong shoulders, his chest, his stomach. "You are so damned sexy." She whispers.

Eddie's eyes widen in surprise. Although he constantly vocalizes his pleasure with her body, Janet rarely tells him what she thinks of his. He sees it in her eyes, feels it in her touch, but she rarely tells him. It's nice, even for the captain of the football team to hear once in awhile. Feeling almost shy, Eddie looks up at her and smiles as she lightly scratches her nails up his sides.

"Baby, that feels good." Eddie groans, watching as Janet's hands move to her breasts to unhook the clasp of her bra. Eddie stops her, his hands covering hers. "We had a deal, remember?"

She nods. Eddie's fingers dip into the waistband of her pajama bottoms. "Take these off." He orders.

Janet stands up, feet on the mattress as Eddie yanks them down. While she's still standing, he reaches up to pull off her panties. She steps out of both, tossing them to the side. Before Janet settles back down, she motions for Eddie to strip too. He quickly obliges.

"C'mere." He growls, grabbing her hands to pull her back on top of him.

"Eddie?" Her tongue is tracing a path down the hair on his stomach.

"Hmmm?"

"What's the Come Here?"

Eddie pauses, untangling his fingers from her curls, as she looks up at him. "Who told you about that?"

Janet nervously continues. "Hannah. She said that Nick..."

"Little bastard stole my move."

"Hannah said I should ask you for it."

"Are you asking?" He raises an eyebrow at her.

"Well, what is it?"

He repeats his last question. "Are you asking?"

"I guess. I would like to know what it is first."

"Nope, you're either in, or you're out."

"I'm in... and you've been watching 'Project Runway' again." She tickles his ribs, laughing.

"Janet, you sure? It's pretty intense." He grins wickedly.

"Bring it on."

Eddie pulls her up until her face is above his. He starts kissing her again. When they break for air, "You gotta trust me ok?"

"Trust you? Ok Latekka, you're kind of scaring me."

"No, don't be scared, baby. Let's try something first." Eddie whispers.

"What?"

"Sit up."

His hands reach around her and rest on her ass. He pushes her forward, gently, with his hands, moving her up his body.

"Eddie...what..."

"Come on. I wanna taste you."

"Not like that Eddie. I can't"

"Why not? How is that any different then when we were in the kitchen that time?"

Eddie and Janet had gone to dinner and a movie that night. Eddie had told her over and over how beautiful, how hot, she looked in her skirt. When they arrived home, she had been measuring coffee grinds, dumping them into a filter when he spun her around at the counter. The look in his eye was one she would always remember, lust, desire, love. She never expected Eddie would get down on his knees in front of her, lick the insides of her bare thighs as he worked her skirt up to her waist, pulled her panties down. She was surprised when he stayed down there, spreading her legs wider and pushing his mouth up into her. She stared down at him as he worked magic with his mouth, her right foot on his shoulder to keep her balance. She came hard, one hand gripping the counter, the other buried in his hair.

"It's just..."

"Same thing, just a different angle. A hotter angle."

"I don't know Eddie."

"Janet, come on... I like it like that, I used to do it with Ro..."

He stops before saying her name out loud. "Shit, Janet, I'm sorry."

Janet puts her hand over his mouth and shakes her head. Fuck that, she thinks. She's not going to let Rory Fucking Dunlop be the last woman to get pleasure from Eddie in that way. If Eddie wants her on his face, she's going to give it to him.

Janet takes a deep breath and moves her body up until she's in the position Eddie wants, his hands pressing into her hips. She feels his breath on her, his tongue flicking. He swirls it around her clit as she grips onto the headboard.

"Oh god Eddie. That's...oh that's good..." Janet whimpers as she moves her hips.

"That's it baby." Eddie's voice sends a vibrating sensation throughout her thighs. "Get into it. Let go."

Janet goes out of her head. She moves on Eddie's mouth as she grips the headboard harder. She feels his tongue, on her, in her, his fingers following. She feels the slow burn making its crawl up her thighs.

"Janet." He moans deep. "I've never felt you so wet baby."

"Eddie, oh god. Eddieeee." Janet is panting, no longer caring what she might look like. Sweat drips down between her breasts.

"Eddie, I'm going to come." Her voice cracks once she feels his tongue circle her clit faster. Eddie's fingers work in her, curled up...his finger finds the spot its been searching for and he strokes it back and forth gently, softly. His mouth bold on her clit, sucking hard.

She cries out, weakly. "Ohhhhhhhmygod." The pleasure is intense, one she's never felt before. His fingers in her enhance everything his mouth is doing, taking her over the edge. Her body tenses a bit and then releases, spasming, as she orgasms. She feels Eddie's fingers slip out of her slowly, and she collapses back on the bed, eyes closed.

"What... was...that?" Still panting, she barely gets her words out. Her limbs feel heavy as she quivers.

"That. Was the Come Here." He looks over at her.

When she finally opens her eyes, he's grinning wide. "Told you."

Janet throws her head back and laughs. 


	38. Chapter 38

Eddie turns over on his side to face Janet. He's eager to get the ball rolling and ease his raging erection with a hot, sweaty, fuck session. He runs his hand over Janet's body, her skin is hot, flush and she's still trembling from her recent orgasm. He grins wide, ecstatic that he made her come so hard.

"So Meadows, that make up for our little quickie earlier?" Eddie leans in, planting a kiss on her cheek.

"And then some."

She sighs as Eddie's hand wanders between her legs. "Dude." She pushes his hand away gently. "I'm not ready for you to touch me there yet."

"Too sensitive?"

"Yeah, give me a few minutes."

Eddie groans. "This erection ain't gonna stay around forever."

Janet ignores his comment and turns on her side to face him. "Eddie, where did you learn that? The Come Here?"

Eddie's silent. He doesn't want to reveal the name of the woman who was single-handedly responsible for teaching him pretty much everything he knows about sex.

"It doesn't matter." He finally answers.

"I guess not, but now I'm curious. Who was she? It was a she right?"

"What?"

"I mean, it wasn't something you picked up from some jerk you played football with in high school or something?"

"No. It was a woman."

"Who?"

"Janet. It doesn't matter." Eddie rolls back over onto his back, running his hand through his hair.

"I think I know who it was."

"No you don't. I know what you're thinking, and you're wrong."

"So it wasn't..." she pauses before saying the name aloud. "Rory?"

"Nope."

"Ok." Janet stops talking for all of two seconds, but curiosity always kills the cat with her. "Why won't you tell me Eddie?"

When Eddie doesn't answer her, Janet rolls over in the opposite direction, facing the wall. She pulls the blankets over her naked body.

"Janet..."

"Night Eddie."

"You aren't seriously going to sleep?"

"I am. I asked you a question, and since you don't want to answer me, it's a thing...and you know I hate things. So go to sleep."

Eddie sighs and shakes his head slowly. There is no way he's going to admit that the woman that taught him the Come Here was the woman that had changed Janet's life in high school. Eddie had never told anyone, not even Nick, about his affair with Ms. Lynch, the school librarian.

Eddie had wandered into the library one December afternoon his junior year of high school. He had been warned by Coach Johnson that unless he brought his grades up, including his just above failing grade in English, he would be kicked off the team. Coach Johnson went on to let Eddie know that if he was kicked off, Knight's Ridge High had no chance making it to the championships. Eddie left that meeting high, he was the star of the game, his team needed him. So he trudged over to the library, his backpack heavy, loaded with books he'd barely cracked. When he went up to the counter, he had to clear his throat to get Ms. Lynch's attention. She was typing furiously, quickly. Eddie had never seen anyone type that fast, including Phil, who spent all his free time writing computer programs with the other geeks in the school.

Eddie cleared his throat again.

"I said 'one moment'." Ms. Lynch held up a finger, her voice harsh, eyes never leaving her computer.

Eddie had been intrigued. Women and girls alike always seemed to notice him the exact moment he walked into a room. It was how he'd snagged head cheerleader Rory Dunlop. He had shown up to a party at Steve's house one weekend, fashionably late, Nick, Phil and Owen in tow. Rory had followed him from room to room, trying for hours to talk to him. By the end of that night, he had her flat on her back in the bed of his truck, hand up her sweater. She hadn't let him go all the way, insistant she was a good girl, but the self-proclaimed good girl had held out for all of three dates before spreading her legs eagerly for Eddie. After that, he made Rory his girlfriend and they became inseperable, the it couple of Knight's Ridge High, a title formerly owned by Nick and Hannah.

"Im sorry, just give me one more minute."

Eddie watched as Ms. Lynch continued typing. If the look on her face was any indication, she was doing a good job going ballsitic on whomever had pissed her off. He used the time to peruse her body. His only encounters with the librarian had been when she came over to his table to tell him he needed to keep his voice down. He'd completely missed the fact that she was fairly attractive, in a nerdy kind of way. Her hair was cut in that stupid Rachel style that all the girls were wearing that year, but she had skipped highlights, keeping her hair dark brown, and wore it a bit longer. She wasn't a thin woman, but she wasn't fat either, and she had the biggest boobs Eddie had seen outside his porn collection. He was surprised he hadn't noticed that before. Her outfit suggested she wasn't in the habit of dressing to enhance her figure. She wore a printed blouse, looser than neccessary, the pattern exasperated the headache Eddie always got when he entered the library. She had on a skirt, but from what Eddie could see of it before the desk obstructed his view, it was longer than any skirt on a not-old woman had a right to be. The only thing, Eddie thought, that could save her outfit, was a pair of seriously high heels.

Ms. Lynch punched one final button on her computer with a flourish. She pushed her chair back and stood, a pair of sensible black flats on her feet. Eddie sighed and concentrated on her chest.

"Mr. Latekka. To what do I owe this pleasure?

He had lifted his eyes slowly. "I need help."

As the words left his mouth, he noticed the librarian suppressed a small smile.

"What can I do for you?"

"I need to get a book. I have to read it and write a report on it for my English class, or else I won't pass. And if I don't pass..."

"You don't get to play football."

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

Ms. Lynch smiled as she came over to the counter. "Which book are you looking for?" As she continued to smile at him, Eddie noticed that she had beautiful eyes, hazel green with a slight sparkle.

"'To Kill A Mockingbird'. Do you know it?"

This made the librarian laugh, and Eddie realized that was at him, not with him.

"I think I am familiar with that book." She said sarcastically. "Let me check to see if we have any in right now. That's a pretty popular title, it's usually checked out."

She sat at her computer again, keying in the title.

"Hmmm, they are all out, but one is due back today. Let's see... Oh, it was checked out by Janet. She's due in to shelve books any minute. If you can wait, I will have one for you."

"Sure thing." Eddie smiled as he leaned on the counter.

"You could have a seat, and study."

Eddie laughed. "I'll wait right here."

The door of the library opened. "Anna, sorry I'm so late. I was reading and I had to finish a chapter and..." Janet stopped once she saw Eddie standing at the counter.

Eddie yawns and looks over at Janet, he knows she's sleeping because her back is moving up and down slowly. For all his recollection of Anna Lynch, he forgot that he had his first real interaction with Janet that day. He sighs and goes back to his thoughts, assuming those were going to be the only thing getting him off tonight.

"Relax Janet, you're a volunteer, you can't be late." Ms. Lynch winked at her. "Mr. Latekka here needs a copy of 'To Kill A Mockingbird'. Do you have the one you checked out last week?"

"I do." Janet stepped behind the counter and slid her backpack off her shoulder. Unzipping the bag, she extracted a copy of the book and, with a shaking hand, handed it over to the librarian. Her eyes never once met Eddie's.

"Hey since you just read the book, feel like writing a paper for me ?" Eddie joked.

Janet finally looked in his direction, her cheeks flushing. "Not really." She said, flatly. Her blue eyes were like ice.

Ms. Lynch broke their stare. "Thanks Janet. That cart over there needs to be shelved."

Eddie watched as Janet set her bag on the floor and pushed the cart towards the endless rows of books. She had the kind of ass he loved. Nice, round, full. An ass you could really grab a hold of.

"Ok Mr. Latekka. Here's the book. It's due back next week, do you think you can manage that?"

"I hope so. He looked at the date neatly printed on the card in the front of the book. "Next Friday?"

"Yes."

"Ok. And hey, Anna?"

"It's Ms. Lynch to you."

"Ms. Lynch." Eddie lowered his voice, leaned in closer. " You should totally rock that body. Be the naughty librarian. Tight sweater, short skirt and some heels. You'd be smoking hot."

"Mr. Latekka. I think you have a lot of reading to do. Good day."

Eddie returned to the library a week later to return the book. With Nick's help, he had produced a semi-intelligent paper , earning him a passing grade in his English class. The day before Christmas break had been cold and snowy and the library was deserted. Eddie wanted to get the hell off the school grounds and start his vacation. He had to try and get a run in before he hooked up with Ikey to plow the streets. He had quietly slid the book onto the counter and turned to leave when he heard the librarian's voice behind him.

"How was the book?"

Eddie groaned. He really didn't want to discuss the book again. Nick had actually made him read the thing, and write most of his paper.

"It was ok, actually, I thought it was pretty good. I liked that Scout chick and Atticus Finch was pretty coo..." Eddie's jaw dropped once he turned around.

"Whoa..." Eddie whispered. Anna's hair was pulled up in a loose bun. Her sweater was tight as a second skin, sleeves short, neck low, with a ribbon tied right under her huge breasts. Her skirt came to mid thigh and on her feet she wore a pair of very high, very sexy, heels. Eddie knew it was a cliche, the naughty librarian, but damned if it wasn't working overtime for her.

"Surprised?"

Eddie gulped as he nodded. "You look...uh...you look..." He wanted to say hot. He wanted to push her up against a bookshelf and fuck her.

"Would you do me a favor? I need to put a book up on a high shelf. Hold the ladder?

Eddie nodded and followed her, dropping his backpack on the way. At the shelf he almost took the book from her and put it back since the shelf had been easily within his reach, but decided against that when he realized he'd get a good look at her ass as she made her way up the ladder. As she climbed, her skirt hiked, which afforded Eddie a view of her legs. He almost fell backwards once he realized she was wearing thigh highs. No chick he had ever messed with those wore them and he'd been obsessed with them since seeing a midnight showing of 'The Graduate' at the local theatre with Nick.

Eddie helped Anna off the ladder, held her hand just a second longer than appropriate.

"I take it you approve of my outfit." She brazenly looked at his crotch as Eddie turned red. Eddie never turned red. "I took your advice."

"I see that." Eddie took a step closer to Anna. With a shaking finger, he drew a line from her cheek down to the v of her sweater, stopping just above her ample cleavage. He leaned down wondering if he should kiss her.

"What's the matter Eddie?" Anna smiled then winked. "Nervous?"

Eddie nodded.

Anna moved closer to Eddie. Her hard nipples pressed into him, as a burning sensation travelled from his chest to his face. "Eddie," she whispered, " you should know one thing, a woman is not a girl."

Eddie grinned. He thought he knew what she meant, Hell, he could have cared less. He licked his lips before ducking down to kiss her.

Anna's hands pushed Eddie away. "Eddie, are you crazy? Not here. Never here."

Eddie blushed again. Fuck, he'd ruined his chance. "I'm sorry Anna."

"Ms. Lynch, Eddie." She said as she walked over to her desk.

Eddie kicked the bookshelf with his sneaker, mumbling to himself. "Fuck Latekka! You fucking dumb ass."

Anna returned, a slip of paper in her hand which she handed to Eddie. Glancing down, Eddie noticed there was an address and phone number scrawled in large, neat script. He looked up and grinned at Anna.

"So Eddie, if you think you can handle me, be at that address at 9:30 tonight. Park around the corner and don't tell anyone."

That afternoon, Eddie ran his normal two miles around the lake. He loved to run, it kept his body in shape for football and allowed him to keep drinking on the weekends, not to mention it always gave him the stamina he needed to fuck later in the evening. When he returned home, to 32 Gelson, he had ignored his mother's yells to come to the dinner table and bounded up the stairs to take a shower. As the warm water beat down on his hard muscles, he thought about stroking the hardest muscle of all, but decided against it. Nick had mentioned many times that jacking off before a big date ensured a rock hard cock later in the evening, but Eddie had held a fear that performance issues would wreck fucking that hot piece. After he was clean, had even used extra soap, he stood in his room in only a towel, as he yanked shirts out of his closet, trying to find one that wasn't made of flannel, or made him look seventeen. He ended up in the white dress shirt he usually wore with his only suit, and a pair of jeans. Around nine, before heading out to Anna's apartment, he called Ikey and delivered a lame excuse about twisting his ankle running, needed to keep it elevated over night. Ikey had fallen for it, hook, line and sinker.

A half hour later, Eddie parked his truck on a side street, and grabbed his jacket as he locked the driver's side door. He paused and let out a deep breath before knocking right under the huge evergreen wreath on Anna's door.

When the door opened, Eddie felt the heat from her apartment. She smiled and wordlessly moved aside to let him enter. The lights were low, a fire burning. Anna wore a different sweater from the one she had on earlier and a pair of tight fitting jeans. She had pulled her hair down and it was wavy, everywhere.

"Come in, sit. Can I take your jacket?"

Eddie handed her his letterman jacket, cursing himself for not keeping something in his truck that wouldn't remind her he was a student. He sat on the couch, stiffly.

"Relax Eddie. Would you like a beer?"

"Can't you get in trouble for serving alcohol to a student?"

"I am about to fuck you, I don't think alcohol will make things any worse."

Anna returned from the kitchen with two open beers. She handed one to Eddie as she sat next to him, her legs curled under her.

Eddie took a huge gulp of his beer. He looked at the unrecognizable brand on the label. It was far superior to the cheap piss he and the boys scrounged money for every weekend, and it was good. So good Eddie downed it quickly.

"Here." Anna handed him her bottle to finish. "You obviously need it more than I do."

"Eddie? Are you a virgin?" Eddie had almost spit out the beer.

He wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "I have a girlfriend," he said defensively.

"Right, Rory Dunlop. I've seen you two around school. I should have guessed that you weren't a virgin."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing." Anna laughed, touching Eddie's arm.

"No really. What do you mean?"

"Rory's not exactly a good girl is she Eddie?"

"She is."

"I think we have different ideas of what a good girl is then."

"And who would you consider a good girl?" Eddie tried to keep the irritated edge off his voice. Talking about Rory hadn't exactly made him feel like a stand up guy. He'd actually wrestled with going to Anna's one night as he drifted off to sleep. He decided he'd be a world class dumb ass if he didn't fuck the librarian, but he knew doing so could create a hot mess if anyone found out.

"A good girl. Hmmm, let me think. Oh, Janet, she's a good girl."

"I bet." Eddie scoffed. "Only because no guy wants to fuck her."

Anna looked at Eddie, her eyes had narrowed. Eddie decided to drop any further discussion about the chubby girl, hot ass or not.

"One day Eddie, you will realize that a woman is much more than long legs, tanned skin and blonde hair." Anna leaned closer to Eddie, her mouth inches from his. "And Eddie? Smart girls? We read and we know things. Many things." She ran her finger up Eddie's arm slowly.

"Can we change the subject? This isn't what I had in mind when I came over here."

"And what did you have in mind?"

"Oh, we both know what I have in mind." Eddie scooted closer on the couch, his leg pressed into hers as he turned his head to kiss her.

Anna stood and motioned for Eddie to follow her into her bedroom. She turned the lights on.

"I've never done it with the lights on." Eddie said.

"How else are you going to see me?" Anna winked.

She did not let Eddie undress her, she instead slowly stripped to bare skin. Eddie's mouth dropped open when she had finally removed her bra. Her breasts were deliciously perky for being so huge, so different from Rory's, or any he'd been lucky enough to see or touch. She finally allowed Eddie to kiss her, and as he did, he grabbed at her chest.

Anna pushed him away. "Eddie, no. That's not how you touch a woman." Taking his hand, she showed him how he should. "Start soft, I will let you know if I want more."

They had slowly proceeded to the bed. Eddie thought his cock was going to explode by the time he had rolled on a condom and slipped into her.

"Anna...you're..." Eddie had a hard time forming words, he panted and groaned as he moved faster.

Anna grabbed Eddie's face between her hands. She looked in his eyes. "I told you to call me Ms. Lynch."

And that single demand had been the embarassing end of Eddie Latekka.

"You have to be kidding me." Anna laughed.

Eddie felt the heat spread across his cheeks. "I'm really sorry. It's just..."

"Me telling you to call me Ms. Lynch gets you off?"

"I guess. Yes."

"Get up Eddie, get dressed. Go home."

"But..."

"That's enough for one night."

"But..."

"Don't worry, we can do this again, just not tonight. You obviously have a lot to learn."

Although their affair lasted over a year, Eddie's memory of Anna Lynch, after their first encounter together, remained hazy at best. The things she had taught him were easy to remember, he'd encorporated them easily into his lovemaking. How to touch, erogenous zones, being patient with a woman's orgasm. She had corrected his clumsiness when he went down on her, gave him the most amazing blow jobs and introduced Eddie to several sexual positions he never knew existed. Eddie Latekka was an excellent student when the subject didn't bore him. But Anna's face, her eyes, the tone in her voice, the way she smelled, all escaped him once he'd ended the affair. The only thing that really remained burned in his memory were her breasts, creamy white with deep rose nipples.

His decision to stop sleeping with Anna was sudden. One night, after a lackluster encounter, Eddie realized that the affair, along with trying to maintain a relationship with Rory, and keep up with his school work, were all taking their toll. He had to cut something out and he didn't want to lose Rory. Somehow, amidst all his misdoing, he'd actually fallen in love with her. He'd expected Anna to argue, had almost wanted her to beg him to stay, but she had only kissed him, sadly, one last time before sending him home.

After, when he was in bed with Rory, Eddie often longed for Anna. He loved the feel of her body, her huge breasts, her soft skin, her rounded stomach. Her body was curvy, womanly, so different from Rory who was lean, muscular, hard. He often found himself picturing Anna, wild and unabashed, riding his cock, when he fucked Rory. Yes, he loved Rory, but she had quickly bored him in bed. She always orgasmed selfishly,way before he did, and would lay under him, bored, as Eddie took his time, sometimes looking over at the clock on the nightstand and sighing. Eddie had encorporated so much of what he learned from Anna in his lovemaking with Rory, he was surprised she never noticed his increased prowess. She only questioned him once, when, while going down on her, he had tried the Come Here on her. He had given her a long, and lame, explaination about reading it in a magazine.

He had only seen Anna Lynch one time after he had ended their tryst. He had steered clear of the library for the remainder of his senior year. After graduation, Rory dumped him and he had spent several years fucking many women, mending his broken heart with a series of one night stands. Once he'd turned twenty one, he frequented Sully's, and his dating pool opened up wide. One night, his quiet night at the bar was interrupted by a gaggle of women, loud and obnoxious, as they grouped at a nearby table.

"Eddie Latekka." He heard a familiar voice behind him. He turned on his stool to face Anna Lynch.

"Hey Ann...Ms. Lynch. What goes on?" She giggled, had been stinking drunk.

"I'm getting married." She held up her hand, a large diamond on her ring finger. "This is my bachelorette party. We've been to three bars. But they were all boring. This one holds possibility."

"Sully's is a good bar."

"That's not what I meant Eddie." She ran her hand, the hand with her engagement ring, up his leg.

"Uh."

"You married to Rory yet?"

Eddie shook his head. "Dumped, she found someone better than me at her fancy college."

"Bitch. But then she always was."

Eddie looked at Anna as she giggled. She looked older, sadness surrounded her eyes.

"You wanna have one last hurrah Eddie?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do I have to spell it out? Take me out of here, fuck me one last time."

If any other woman had propositioned Eddie Latekka as brazenly as Anna Lynch did that night, Eddie would have laid his money on the bar and hustled her right out to his truck. But that night, he actually had to think about Anna's demand. Ever since being dumped by Rory, Eddie had kept his sex life simple, no repeat business.

"My fiance? He is a wonderful, perfect man. He is going to be a great husband and a better father, that's why I am marrying him. But he's horrible in bed. I know it's not the only thing that makes a marriage, but I really really miss having orgasms."

"He doesn't make you come?" Eddie asked. When Anna shook her head, Eddie continued. "You shouldn't marry him then. You deserve a man that will make you come hard every fucking time."

"That has to be the sweetest thing any man has ever said to me. And I know that sounds demented."

Eddie nodded in agreement. "If I were marrying you, you'd never be unsatisfied."

Her hand rested on his thigh again. Eddie downed his beer and told her to meet him at his truck. Silently, they drove to the high school, Anna hiked up her skirt, pulled her panties to the side and straddled him. When Eddie dropped her back off at Sully's, he wished her well and drove home, knowing he would never see her again.

All Eddie's remembrance of Anna Lynch makes him hard and very horny. He needs to make love to Janet.

"Janet." Eddie moves closer, running his hands down her back. "You asleep?"

"Ugnhh" Her incoherent answer to his question.

"Janet." Eddie whispers in her ear, arm curling around her warm body. "Wake up baby."

"Eddie. Unless you are going to start talking, do not keep trying to wake me up." Even though she's issuing a warning, he feels her body snuggle closer to his.

"Ms. Lynch."

Janet turns over, her back flat on the bed. "Who?" She looks at him, confusion all over her face.

"Eddie, I don't know a Ms. Lynch."

"Anna. Anna Lynch."

"Wait. Anna? My Anna?"

"Yeah." He stares up at the ceiling.

"No way." Janet whispers, more to herself than to Eddie.

"Way." Eddie nods, looking at Janet, expecting anger or tears.

"When?"

"Junior year."

"What!?" Janet sits up in bed, the covers fall from her body. Eddie resists the urge to touch her bare breasts, her hard nipples.

"How...wha...where?"

"It started in December of my, our junior year. Lasted until sometime senior year."

Janet wants to remind Eddie that he was dating Rory at that time but she doesn't.

"So why didn't you want to tell me? Other than the fact you were fucking a teacher."

"She wasn't a teacher. She was the librarian."

"Seriously?" Janet laughs. "It's the same thing Eddie."

"I know. I didn't tell you because you always tell me how much she changed your life. Remember when you told me she sent you home with a long list of books to read? I didn't want to..."

"Taint the memory of my mentor?"

"I guess. Yes."

"Well I have to give you credit for that one. Good lord, Eddie. You never cease to amaze me."

"Thanks."

"Totally not a compliment dude."

"Janet. I'm sorry."

"For what?"

He is wondering the same thing. "I don't know exactly."

"It's not your fault. You were a horny, teenage boy. She totally took advantage of that situation."

Janet relaxes, rests back on the pillows. She knows it's childish and petty, but she is finding great satisfaction with her new knowledge. The perfect union of Eddie and Rory, the golden couple, wasn't so perfect. Janet runs her fingers through Eddie's hair.

"Hey Janet, you know what I remembered tonight?"

"What?" The back of her hand runs across his cheek, rests on his shoulder as he continues.

"We had our first conversation in that library. Remember?"

"No."

"I was there to get 'To Kill A Mockingbird'?"

"Oh yeah. You asked me to write your paper."

"Yup." He grins.

"Asshole." She playfully punches his arm. "I totally had a crush on you. That kinda lost you a few points."

"You had a crush on me? In high school? Really?"

"Eddie, don't act so surprised. Half the school had a crush on you."

"Only half?"

"God you are so cocky."

"So Janet? Eddie says rolling over onto his stomach. "Do you still have a crush on me?"

Janet rollls her eyes, but she laughs. She looks at Eddie and winks. "Yes Eddie, I still have a crush on you."

Eddie grabs Janet's hand and pulls her down to him, he kisses her softly as he smooths her hair back from her face.

"I can't believe you slept with Anna." Janet murmurs as she kisses Eddie's neck, her hands running all over his body.

"You should be happy, baby. She taught me pretty much everything I know about sex, and I am gooood."

"Remind me to thank her next time I run into her at the post office."

"Funny Meadows." Eddie sits up and maneuvers their bodies until Janet is under him. His cock is throbbing and all he can think about is being inside Janet, making love to her, making her come.

Eddie kisses her deeply, his tongue probes her mouth until she's kissing him back, hungrily. He pushes a pillow off the side of the bed, allowing his hands to rest flat on the matress.

"You are so beautiful." Eddie says, softly, before kissing her again and again.

Janet stares up at him, she loves sweet Eddie the most. Her hand slips between them as she strokes his flat stomach. As she feels Eddie's fingers slip into her, she gasps into his neck, his familiar scent filling her nose. Eddie replaces his fingers with his cock, pushing into Janet slowly.

"She really taught you everything you know about sex?" Janet whispers right into Eddie's ear.

"Mmmmhmmm"

"Well," Janet giggles. "Here's to you Mrs. Robinson..." 


	39. Chapter 39

Eddie throws the covers off his naked body when he wakes up. The bedroom is stifling. All the weather reports Eddie had read before they left the Ridge suggested there would be several unseasonalbly warm days in Cradle Bay, but to be this hot so early in the morning was not boding well for the rest of the day. Eddie's glad he packed some shorts, and he pulls them from the bottom of his bag. Slipping them on, he quietly opens the door to the bedroom, leaving a still sleeping Janet. He smells bacon and coffee and feels his empty stomach turn over. Stopping by the kids room, he notices Maddie's not in her crib. Downstairs, she's sitting on Nick's lap, eating banana slices as Hannah turns bacon on the stove.

"Damn it's hot." Eddie grumbles.

Connor and Kaitlyn Rowen look at Eddie with wide eyes.

"Uh, sorry. It's just really hot."

"So that's why you forgot your shirt?" Nick jokes.

Eddie just smiles and scratches his stomach. He knows he still looks as good as he did in high school. He grabs Mads from Nick.

"Good morning dude. " He swings her into his arms, kissing her forehead.

Maddie laughs. "Hi dude."

"Whatcha eating?"

Maddie holds up a piece of slimy banana, presses it to Eddie's lips, pushes it into his mouth.

Eddie chews the banana. "Mmmm that's good. Thanks Mads."

Eddie goes over to the stove and grabs a piece of bacon Hannah just placed on a plate. He shoves the entire thing in his mouth.

"There coffee?" He asks with his mouth full.

"Yes. I just made another pot."

"Thanks for getting Mads up. I guess we forgot to turn on the baby monitor last night."

"Like you would have heard anything last night."

Eddie looks at Nick. "What?"

"Loud Eddie. Very, very loud." Nick looks back at him, crossly.

"Distractingly loud." Hannah adds.

Eddie just grins before apologizing, handing Mads back to Nick. "So what's the plan for today?"

Hannah stirs the pan of scrambled eggs. "It's so hot. After breakfast, we're going to take the kids down to the beach."

Eddie finally notices everyone's dressed for swimming. He takes a second to slyly look at Hannah's long legs. Though he was he was drunk every time he and Hannah had hooked up all those years ago, he would always remember her legs, long, coltish, sexy wrapped around his waist.

"Where are O and Allison?" He finally asks.

"Still asleep. Allison was down awhile ago, but she had a headache, so she went back to bed."

After eating a large plate of eggs and bacon, then helping Nick wash the dishes, Eddie pours a cup of coffee, stirring in sweetener.

"Hey Hannah? Mind if I take this up to Janet?"

"No, meet us down at the beach later."

"Thanks again for getting Mads up and dressed." He squeezes Hannah's shoulder as she smiles.

Eddie goes back up to the room. It's an hour later, and Janet's still fast asleep in the bed. He has no idea how she can sleep when it's so hot. Sitting in the chair by the window, he watches Nick and Hannah corrall the kids down to the beach.

"Is that coffee I smell?" Janet asks, her voice still thick with sleep.

"It is."

"Next question. Is it for me?" She jokes, her eyes still closed.

"It is."

Eddie watches as Janet kicks the covers off her body violently. "It's so hot." she moans.

"I know. It's only going to get hotter."

Janet feels the mattress dip as Eddie sits on the bed next to her. His hand rubs her thigh. "We are so not having sex right now Eddie."

"That's not what I..."

"Where's Maddie? Is she up already?"

"Yeah, down at the beach with Hannah, Nick and the kids."

"What time is it anyway?"

Eddie looks at the clock on the bedside table. "Eleven."

"What? I never sleep this late."

"Relax, you're on vacation Meadows."

Eddie moves closer on the bed, closer to a very naked, very sweaty, Janet. Her hair is messy, strewn all over the pillows. When he moves to pass the coffee mug to Janet, some sloshes out, landing on her stomach.

"Eddie!" The coffee on her bare skin startles her. She sits up quickly on her elbows.

"Shit Janet, I'm sorry. Did I burn you?"

"No. It's not that hot. But go and get me a towel? Quick before it gets on the sheets."

Eddie grins and bends over her. He slowly runs his tongue over Janet's stomach, licking off the coffee.

"Wow. Whoa. That's better than any towel Latekka."

"More?"

"Coffee? No. You, yes."

Eddie sets the coffee cup on the table next to the bed. He stands and unbuttons his shorts. As he unzips them, he feels them slipping easily over his thighs and ass. His cock is not quite hard, but he fully intends on it being so very soon.

"You look so fucking hot Janet"

"I am hot. It's sweltering in here."

"Not what I meant. You just look so sexy, all sweaty, your hair all crazy."

"I bet."

"You do." Eddie sits back down on the bed and pulls Janet towards him. Her head rests on his thigh and she runs her fingers over Eddie's flaccid penis as she looks up at him. "Mmmmm." He moans, smiling down at her.

Janet moves closer, flicking her tongue over Eddie as she cups his balls gently in her hand. It doesn't take Eddie long before he's rock hard in her mouth. As he pushes Janet back on the bed, a loud noise interrupts them.

"Owen!!"

Janet looks up at Eddie and giggles.

"Guess Allison doesn't really have a headache." Eddie mumbles.

But as Janet goes back to her perusal of Eddie's body, the noises coming from the other end of the hall get louder. When Owen yells out a particularly fithy obscenity, Janet's hands stop.

"Wow." She says finally.

Eddie squirms a little. He's embarassed that Janet just heard Owen using langage he never would, never had. "Uh yeah. That's just..."

"Not sexy?"

"No. I know Allison's really into the whole dirty talk, name calling thing, but that's just..."

"Wait, how do you know what Allison is into?" Janet nudges his knee, smiling.

Just as Eddie's about to explain Saturday afternoons at 32 Gelson to Janet, the conversations the boys shared about sex, Allison starts in with her own colorful expletives.

"Oh come ON." Eddie groans.

"Well, now that was just hostile..." Janet sits up.

"Where are you going?"

"To take a shower. There's no way we are having sex now." Janet gets up off the bed and goes over to her suitcase. She pulls out her toiletry kit.

"Maybe we can wait it out?" Eddie collapses back on the bed, his erection slowly diminishing.

"Eddie, they have been going at it for at least 15 minutes and I don't think they are stopping anytime soon."

"Who knew O had it in him?"

"And my next question would be, if he does, why Ikey?"

Eddie flips over on his stomach, watches as Janet wraps a thick, white towel around her frame.

"Why bother taking a shower Janet? We are just going to go down and go swim. Take one later."

"Eddie, how long have you known me?"

"Huh?"

"You know I would never get dressed after having sex without taking a shower."

Eddie stands up and moves behind Janet. He sweeps her damp hair to one side and places a soft kiss on her shoulder. "Then explain the back room at Sully's, the shop?"

"I cleaned up... in the bathroom."

"And the football field?" He grins then kisses her shoulder again.

Janet blushes. The football field was the first time she and Eddie had sex outside. Eddie had driven out to the high school late one night after dinner. He had taken her by the hand and led her to the fifty yard line where they reclined on the grass, shoulders touching, looking up at the stars. She wanted to ask how many girls he had brought to this same spot, but instead listened as he recounted the "Hail Eddie", play by play. After, when she had confessed she'd been there watching that night, Eddie was surprised. He'd, of course, never noticed her in the stands. When Janet shyly admitted to never missing a game, Eddie kissed her with more purpose than he'd kissed anyone in his life. The grass on the field had been wet, but the night had been warm, and they hadn't minded as they rolled around, bodies enwined.

"So basically what you're saying is that you don't you want to walk around with my seed in you?"

The look on Janet's face almost makes Eddie laugh, but he stifles it as she stalks into the bathroom.

In the shower, Janet is lathering up her hair as she hears the shower door open. Eddie steps in behind her.

"Need help with your hair?" He murmurs in her ear. He's behind her, dangerously close, not quite touching.

"I think I got it Eddie." But Eddie reaches up, massaging her scalp lightly with his fingertips.

"That feel good baby?"

"Mmmhmmm, it does."

Eddie kisses Janet on her wet neck, licking the droplets of water, running his tongue over her flesh.

"How bout that? Does that feel good?"

"Yes. But Eddie, forget it. Between Owen and your disgusting comment a few minutes ago...there's no way we're having sex. You, my friend, are on restriction."

Eddie throws his head back and laughs. "Restriction? I haven't been on restriction since...I don't know when." Eddie sits on the bench in the shower as Janet rinses the shampoo from her hair.

"Hey Janet, what bugs you most about what we just heard? What Owen was saying or that Allison was just as dirty?"

"Neither." Janet laughs. " You know I think whatever turns people on is you know, their thing and it's cool... I just don't want to hear them doing it."

"And I bet you would be embarassed if they knew what turned you on?"

"Kind of...Not as much as I used to be, but yeah."

"So." Eddie says, sexily, as he stands up and circles his arms around Janet. "You would be embarassed if anyone knew the easiest way to get you in the mood is to turn on the TV to a 'Six Feet Under' rerun?"

Janet sighs as Eddie's hands roam all over her nakedness. "I love that I have my own personal Nate Fisher, you know that."

Eddie's hands stop as he looks at Janet. "I totally don't look like that guy."

"Yeah sexy, sometimes you do."

"Whatever, if it gets you in the mood...I will look like whoever you like...even the gay brother. "

When Eddie's hands starts roaming Janet's body again, she opens her eyes and hands a washcloth to him. "Don't get any ideas, you're still on restriction. Clean up Latekka."

After their shower, Eddie stands in the doorway of the bathroom, already dressed in some board shorts. He leans against the door frame and crosses his arms.

"Janet, at this pace it's going to be sundown before we get to the beach."

"So, go down there." She smooths moisturizer over her forehead, her cheeks. "I'll meet you down there.

"Suit yourself. No pun intended." Eddie smiles at his cleverness.

Janet smiles at him in the mirror. "Go dork. I will be down there in a few."

After Eddie leaves, Janet puts on the bathing suit she had spent several excruciating hours shopping for. She looks at herself in the bathroom mirror. When she turns to the side, she sucks in her stomach, and pushes out her breasts. The suit had looked decent enough in the fitting room and Hannah had assured her she looked cute, but now, in the harsh light of the bathroom, she's not so sure. It's too tight where it shouldn't be, too short, too low cut, there's too much thigh and boob showing. The suit is definately modest, a halter style top, black with a small pattern in white, the bottoms boy cut in black. Janet didn't want to go down to the beach and stand anywhere near Hannah or Allison. Allison had a knockout body and while Hannah wasn't exactly a waif, she had a great figure, curves in all the right places, long legs. Janet knows she's down on the beach, in that knockout vintage red suit handed down from her grandmother, who had been full of style and kept everything she owned impecably.

Hannah comes into the bathroom. Of course, the red suit still looks awesome on her.

"Janet, what's taking so long? Eddie sent me up here to see what goes on. Come down to the beach." Hannah preens in the mirror, putting some lip balm on.

"I can't."

"Why the hell not? You're already dressed, you look good."

"No, you look good. I look gross."

"Come on Janet. Besides you have to see what Allison is wearing."

"What, is it bad?"

"Words cannot do it justice. You just have to see it for yourself. "

Janet wraps a beach towel around her body and follows Hannah out to the beach. The moment they arrive at the spot where everyone had assembled towels, a blanket, an umbrella pushed into the sand, Janet spots Allison. She's wearing a bikini, but not just any bikini, the smallest pink bikini known to man. She searches for Eddie, to see if he's noticed the suit, or lack thereof, but he's kneeling in the sand, next to Maddie, dumping wet sand out of a bucket, a sorry attempt at building a sand castle. He looks up and sees Janet. He waves and smiles.

"Take that damn towel off Janet." Hannah demands. Janet nervously looks around to see who might be watching, waiting to laugh as she exposes her body to the air and sun. She closes her eyes behind her sunglasses and breathes in deep as she lets her towel drop to the ground.

"There you are. " Eddie's behind her, arms circling. "What took so long"  
Janet looks at Hannah and silently pleads with her to keep her mouth shut. "Sorry, just making sure I was adequately covered in SPF."

Eddie leans in, and whispers in her ear. "And did Hannah help you rub it all over your body?"

"You never turn it off do you?"

Hell no, and I never will." Eddie places a quick peck on her neck. "Let's go in for a swim?"

"Okay."

Once they are in the water, Janet relaxes. She ducks her head under and gets her hair wet. When she resurfaces, Eddie's right in front of her grinning.

"I like you in a bathing suit. I don't think I've ever seen you in one."

"Yes you have. Wait, I guess you haven't."

"We've never gone swimming together."

"Yes, that we have definately done. Remember, that night..."

"Ohhhhh, yeah. I remember. But you most definately were not wearing a suit."

"No, I wasn't"

"I remember perfectly. The water made your bra see through. That was hot."

"Hotter than Allison's suit?"

"Eddie looks back at the beach, at Allison in her thin perfection. "All I can hear is that shit she was saying earlier. Doesn't matter what she's wearing, I still keep hearing her...'Oh Owen, your cock is so...'"

Eddie stops when Janet hits him lightly on the shoulder. " I so do not need a playback dude."

"Sorry." Eddie grins and all is forgiven. He kisses Janet deeply as his hands go around her neck. She feels him tugging at the fabric, trying to untie the knot behind her neck.

"Eddie, I swear if you untie my top, I will kill you."

"Come on, I just want to see those breasts all wet and puckered."

"No fucking way. There are too many people around, our child is over there also, by the way."

"Can we come back later then? Alone?"

"Latekka. I don't know what I am going to do with you." She laughs as she dunks Eddie's head under the water.

The rest of the afternoon is spent in the sun, reading, talking, laughing. Eddie and Owen toss a football back and forth, keeping it away from Nick and Sam. Maddie naps under the unmbrella as Janet curls next to her, reading a book. When the sun starts to go down, Nick suggests they all get ready for dinner. He announces that he's treating to a crab feed at a seafood restaurant his father loved.

The restaurant is crowded. Long tables and benches fill the room and the floor to ceiling windows are open wide allowing the salty sea air in, the heat of the day finally gone. They are all relaxed, their faces sun kissed, laughing as they drink beer and crack open crab after crab, eating until they are full.

Owen slides a dish of butter Janet's way. "Janet." He whispers. "Don't look right away, but I think Ray Cataldo is across the room."

"Ray?"

"Big Cat. Yeah, it's him. He's with Christine and the twins."

"Shit. Does he see us?"

"Not yet. The kids are facing us."

Janet slowly scans the room, trying to look as unobvious as possible. "Yeah, it's him." She confirms as she glances at Hannah.

"It's only a matter of time until they get up to leave."

"Don't say anything. Maybe they won't notice us."

"I doubt that. You should warn Hannah Jane. Take her to the bathroom or something."

Janet stands up and motions for Hannah to follow her to the ladies room. Once they are in the tiny room, Hannah looks at Janet oddly.

"What's up Janet?"

"Hannah, Ray is out there."

Hannah's face goes white. "What? Janet, do not fuck with me."

"I wish I was. He's out there with Christine and the twins."

Hannah kicks the stall with the toe of her sandal. "Crap. What are they doing here?" She looks at Janet as if she has the answer.

"Honey, I don't know."

"I can't go back out there. What if he sees me?"

"What's he going to do? Eddie, Nick and Owen are here, and he's got his kids. He's so not going to make a scene."

"Or maybe he will. Shit. Can't we just stay here?"

"I'll do whatever you want Hannah, but we're going to have to leave eventually."

Just as they summon the strength to go back to their table, the bathroom door opens. Christine Cataldo walks in and begins to laugh.

"Unfuckingbelievable."

"Hello Christine." Janet mumbles nervously.

"Are you following us Hannah?" She crosses her arms as her eyes narrow. "Now, that's just pathetic."

"What? No. I am here on vacation."

"Did Ray call you?"

"Trust me, I haven't spoken to Ray in months."

"So what are you doing here?"

Hannah speaks through gritted teeth. "I told you, vacation"

"Oh Hannah, no need to take that tone. It was just a question."

"Yeah, well."

Janet's a little embarassed for Hannah. They had been in many almost fights with bitchy girls in bars over the years, and she always admired Hannah's quick comebacks, but tonight she seems reduced to crappy one liners, almost as if she's afraid of Christine. She quickly realizes she can't blame her, she felt the same whenever she was in the same room as Rory.

"Christine." Janet starts. "I think we should just call it a night, and leave each other alone. No need for a fight."

Again Christine throws her head back in laughter. "Maybe you girls in the Ridge settle all your disagreements with fists. I guess that's what white trash does. I wouldn't know. I am a surgeon, and am not about to risk anything happening to my hands." She glances down at her perfectly manicured hands.

"Wouldn't that be ironic?" Hannah says.

Janet can't help herself. "Don't you think?"

Janet and Hannah look at each other and burst into peals of laughter.

"Ok, you two are psychotic. And you have no idea what irony is."

"We know, but neither did Alanis."

"Hannah Daniels, I will never know what Ray ever saw in you."

This time Janet steps towards Christine, who actually cowers a bit. "Don't worry Christine, I'm not going to hit you. But you know what? Ray saw everything in Hannah that she is. Smart, beautiful, funny and caring. A few things I think you are lacking."

"Just who the fuck do you think you are, you little fat bitch?"

Christines words sting. As much as Janet knows she was just dealt the proverbial sucker punch, it still knocks her sideways when ever anyone calls her fat. She blinks back familiar tears as she hears Hannah start in.

"Is that seriously the best you can do? Come on Christine, you are more intelligent than that. I mean, I know you are a world class bitch, but I never pegged you as someone who would go for a low blow like that."

"Hannah Jane, I suggest you step back."

Hannah takes a step forward. "Oh and why's that?"

"Because, you weasled your way out of a lawsuit before. Remember when you hit me, then used my children as a bargaining tool? This time I would never be so kind."

"Hannah, come on. " Janet grabs Hannah's arm, pulling her back from Christine. "Don't do this. Let's go."

"Yes Hannah, listen to your friend."

As Hannah and Janet scurry out of the bathroom, they run headfirst into Ray Cataldo.

"Hannah Jane?" He grabs her arm, gently and uses his free hand to touch her face, make her look at him.

"Fuck off Ray." Hannah snatches her arm back.

"Whoa, wait. Calm down a second. I just, it's just been a long time since I saw your pretty face. Hi Meadows." Ray nods to Janet.

"Hey Ray."

"Hannah Jane, I have wanted to call you a million times."

"For what?"

"Because, I am not proud of the way I left. It was cowardly, not what you deserved. I miss you so much, you don't even know."

"Don't Ray, don't be nice"

"What?"

"I can't handle you being nice. I have spent the past few months hating you for leaving me, even though I know you had Eddie beat up and put in the hospital. I knew deep down that I should have left you before I married you. But then you left me after you hurt Maddie, and I just cannot have you be the sweet Ray I was in love with, not when I need to walk away from this in one piece."

Christine comes out of the bathroom. "Ray, what are you doing?"

"Just talking to Hannah Jane."

"Well don't. Let's go."

Ray opens his mouth to say something to Hannah, but looks at Christine and his kids. "Goodbye ladies, have a pleasant evening." Leaning closer to Hannah, Ray continues. "And be sure to give Garrett a big, fat kiss from me, bitch."

Hannah recoils as she watches Ray leave with his wife and kids.

"Hannah, forget it. Ray just proved again that he's a two faced snake. He and Christine deserve each other. Come on." Janet grabs Hannah's hand and leads her back to their table.

Janet slides back onto the bench next to Eddie.

"What took you so long?" Eddie whispers, kissing her arm.

"Nothing, girl stuff."

"Girl stuff as in 'Guess what hot thing Eddie and I did in bed last night?' or as in 'Please tell me you have a tampon.' ?"

Janet realized Eddie had no clue they had just ran into Big Cat. "Tampon."

"Gross. Next time lie, Meadows."

When Janet looks back over at Hannah, she smiles and offers her hand across the table. Hannah squeezes it. 


End file.
